Samsung Family's Unique Medical Contributions... "No Child Should Be Denied Treatment Due to Lack of Money"

300 Billion Won Support for Children with Rare Diseases
Expected to Serve as a Catalyst to Attract Support from Various Sectors of Society

[Asia Economy Reporter Choi Dae-yeol] The late Samsung Chairman Lee Kun-hee's decision to provide 300 billion KRW to help children suffering from pediatric cancer and rare diseases reflects his lifelong belief that socially vulnerable children should never be denied treatment simply due to lack of funds. Although pediatric cancer is considered a disease with increasing cure and survival rates thanks to advances in medical technology, many children still die because they cannot receive timely diagnosis or treatment due to high costs. According to the Ministry of Health and Welfare, the average annual number of pediatric cancer patients over the past five years is about 1,036 (based on international pediatric cancer classification standards). It is estimated that hundreds of children lose their lives each year. The number of children suffering from rare diseases also reaches around 80,000.

Chairman Lee was deeply interested in child care and education during his lifetime, personally overseeing these areas. With this large-scale donation, children with pediatric cancer and rare diseases who face difficulties in treatment will receive direct support, and it is expected that the previously insufficient social discourse on these issues will become more active. This will serve as a catalyst to raise social awareness and encourage more support and donations in the future. Pediatric cancer and rare disease patients and their families require not only medical treatment but also psychological therapy, home care, housekeeping, and childcare. Since child patients must continue school and social life for a long time even after being cured, minimizing aftereffects and side effects is also crucial.

The medical community regards Chairman Lee’s donation as a great legacy comparable to a masterpiece of art. There are inherent limits to supporting pediatric cancer and rare disease patients solely through government policies or budgets. For example, integrated genetic testing for pediatric cancer patients costs about 5 million KRW per test. Treatment costs for rare diseases such as gene therapy or bone marrow transplantation can exceed hundreds of millions of KRW per patient. Additionally, physical and mental hardships sometimes lead to family breakdowns.

A representative from Seoul National University Children’s Hospital said, "For pediatric cancer patients, insurance benefits have been applied restrictively based on income level or legal dependents, resulting in a heavy financial burden on patient families. This donation is very meaningful as it can provide support to child patients nationwide."

Chairman Lee’s donation will allocate 150 billion KRW for 13 types of pediatric cancer patients including leukemia and lymphoma, and 60 billion KRW for children with 14 types of rare diseases such as Crohn’s disease. Samsung expects that over the next 10 years, about 12,000 pediatric cancer patients and 5,000 children with rare diseases?totaling approximately 17,000 individuals?will receive assistance. Additionally, 90 billion KRW will be spent on building infrastructure for clinical research and drug development.

Seoul National University Children’s Hospital, the largest in the country, has suffered chronic deficits and has been reluctant to actively treat child patients due to financial constraints. This initiative is expected to play a significant role in changing that atmosphere. Chairman Lee’s bereaved family has decided to operate the support project by forming a committee with external medical professionals under the leadership of Seoul National University Children’s Hospital. They will also encourage participation from children’s hospitals nationwide to make treatment more accessible for child patients across the country.