Calling themselves the “Unusual Utilisers of the Internet”, these students successfully hosted a sold-out charity movie screening at GSC Paradigm Mall on July 11.
The event raised RM16,505 for MND Malaysia, surpassing the team’s original goal of RM10,000.
The idea was sparked by founder Chu Yi Shian, who was driven to act after a close family member was diagnosed with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) – a form of MND – earlier this year at age 48.
Chu thus gathered a small group of close friends two months ago and created the initiative. But why the quirky name?
“We thought it would be ironic because everyone expects people of our generation to waste time on the internet. But instead, we’re trying to do good by using our connections online,” Chu explained.
“Our purpose is to help those affected by MND as much as we can with our circumstances and resources as students.”
MND, a terminal neurological condition that affects the brain and spinal cord, gradually takes away a person’s ability to move, speak, and even breathe.
Though considered rare, affecting about two in every 100,000 people, the disease still impacts many lives – something Chu felt deserves wider public attention.
“When I told some of my schoolmates about this initiative, a lot of them didn’t know what MND was until I mentioned Stephen Hawking,” she shared.
Chu hopes their efforts will not only raise awareness but also help MND Malaysia support those who live with the condition, whether through financial aid or essential resources.
That a movie screening was chosen as a way to raise funds was also deliberate. “I tried to think of one thing that would connect with people, which to me was movies because I’ve always been a big fan of cinema,” Chu said. “Superman”, being a family-friendly film, was the perfect pick!
And fun fact: this wasn’t the only superhero-inspired fundraiser that week. On July 12 at TGV Jaya Shopping Centre, a campaign called The Ripple Effect 5.0 raised some RM30,351 for Hospis Malaysia through its own “Superman” charity screening.
Chu’s initiative proved more successful than the team had anticipated. “The tickets sold out. The hall had 101 seats and it was completely filled. My team had to sit in the aisle.”
Kids from Rumah Victory Children & Youth Home and Hii Chi Kok Children’s Home also joined in the movie night, making the event even more meaningful.
At the end of the evening, MND Malaysia presented each team member with a certificate of appreciation. Its chairman, Benny Ng, praised the students’ commitment and effort.
“All contributions will be put to good use in all activities, programmes and events organised to provide a better quality of life for the warriors (patients) and family members,” he said.
Chu added: “We feel very proud of ourselves for being able to contribute to society as students. This is definitely something we will look back on in the future.
“To every person living with MND, we will never truly understand what you are going through, but we hope that whatever strength and comfort you need finds its way to you,” she concluded.
To support MND Malaysia or to learn more, visit mndmalaysia.org.