What Charis Hospice Penang does

Charis Hospice Penang is a Malaysian charitable non-governmental organization registered as Charis Hospice (Charity No. 200501000269) that has delivered free palliative home care services to patients with advanced life-threatening illnesses on Penang Island since 2004. The organization was founded by Medical Director Dr. Oo Loo Chan and launched officially on January 5, 2005, initially operating from a single room at Farlim Hope Children Hospital before relocating to its dedicated premises at No. 26 & 28, Lintang Paya Terubong 3, 11060 Penang in March 2015. Its core service is in-home palliative care delivered by a team of approximately 15 staff (doctors, nurses, and administrative personnel) and roughly 60 trained volunteers, with the team managing up to 60 patients concurrently.

The service offering centers on home-based pain and symptom management, caregiver training, bereavement support, and the loan of medical equipment (oxygen concentrators, syringe drivers, suction machines, nebulisers, ripple mattresses, hospital beds, wheelchairs, and commodes). Supplementary programs include the weekly Multi Activity Centre (MAC) launched in 2010, Basic Caregiver Training (jointly delivered with Friends of Seniors since 2018), and palliative care training placements for medical students and KKM palliative care subspecialty trainees, formalised after the 2022 adoption of electronic medical records and Australia's PCOC quality benchmarking framework. Marketing and patient acquisition rely on doctor referrals, corporate awareness talks (e.g., ViTrox Technologies), and an annual events calendar including the Charity Hunt (since 2012), Charity Run 'Happy Feet' series (since 2024), and milestone Anniversary Dinners.

Charis Hospice operates a donations-funded model: services are provided at no charge to patients, with funding sourced from individuals and corporates via direct donations, the charity-run donation 'packages' (Package A – Homecare Visits; Package B – Hospital Bed Transport; Package C – Ensure Milk Supplements; Packages D–E – Wound Care Dressings; Package F – CBD Kits), and ticketed fundraising events. Disclosed monthly operating expenses are approximately RM65,000 (~$14,500 USD), implying an annual expense base near RM780,000, with major events in 2023–2025 individually raising RM200,000–RM300,000.

Name

Charis Hospice Penang

Legal name

Charis Hospice

Website

https://charishospice.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

2004

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

Charis Hospice Penang is a Malaysian charitable NGO founded in 2004 that provides free palliative home care services to patients with advanced life-threatening illnesses on Penang Island, delivered by a team of doctors, nurses, and approximately 60 volunteers.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Palliative Home Care Services

NAICS

Individual and Family Services (6241), Other Individual and Family Services (624190)

SIC

Services-Home Health Care Services (8082), Services-Social Services (8300), Services-Misc Health & Allied Services, Nec (8090)

akta.pro primary industry

Home Hospice Agencies (HLAFAEAC)

akta.pro secondary industries

In-Home Hospice Physician / Nurse Practitioner Visits (HSABAFAM), Community-Based Palliative Care (Home-Based Non-Hospice) (HLADAHAH), Palliative Care, Hospice & Serious Illness Support (BPAGACAK)

Keywords

• Palliative home care
• Hospice services
• End-of-life care
• Medical equipment lending
• Caregiver training

Headquarters

HQ city

Penang

HQ country

Malaysia

HQ region

Asia

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Supply Chain, Technology or R&D, Marketing or Sales

Revenue model

1. Donations: Charis Hospice is funded entirely by donations from individuals and corporates. Services are provided free of charge to patients. Monthly operating expenses are approximately RM65,000.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

Charis Hospice is a charitable NGO that provides free palliative home care services to patients with advanced life-threatening illnesses on Penang Island, Malaysia, regardless of race or religion. Services include in-home pain and symptom management by trained doctors and nurses, medical equipment lending, volunteer caregiving support, caregiver training, a weekly Multi Activity Centre, bereavement support, and public awareness education. The operation is funded by individual and corporate donations, with monthly operating expenses of approximately RM65,000 and capacity to manage up to 60 patients at any one time.

Product overview

Charis Hospice is a charitable NGO offering FREE Palliative Home Care services for patients with advanced life-threatening illnesses in Penang Island. The organization provides a coordinated suite of services centered on home-based palliative care (Home Care Services managing up to 60 patients at a time), supplemented by medical equipment lending (oxygen concentrators, hospital beds, wheelchairs, etc.), a volunteer program, and community training/awareness initiatives. Donation packages fund specific care components: Package A (Homecare Visits at RM150/visit), Package B (Hospital Bed Transport at RM140), Package C (Ensure Milk Supplements), Packages D-E (Wound Care Dressings), and Package F (CBD Kits). The organization also operates a Multi Activity Centre and conducts Basic Caregiver Training programs for the community.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Home Care Services In-home palliative care provided by dedicated nurses who visit homes to provide pain relief, manage symptoms, support families in coping with illness, and offer bereavement support after a patient's passing. The team manages up to 60 patients at any one time and requires a doctor's referral.
• Medical Equipment Lending Equipment lending service for registered patients that provides oxygen concentrators, syringe drivers, suction machines, nebulisers, ripple mattresses, hospital beds, wheelchairs, and commodes at minimal or no charge to support home-based palliative care.
• Volunteer Program Community volunteer program that supports publicity, annual fundraising activities, and administrative functions for the hospice, engaging approximately 60 volunteers alongside clinical staff.
• Training & Public Awareness Palliative care training for medical and nursing students and doctors, including clinical placement, plus public awareness education for schools, corporates, and the general public, delivered through talks and outreach programs.
• Multi Activity Centre (MAC) Weekly Wednesday centre that brings patients and volunteers together for craft-making, exercise, and story-telling sessions as part of the hospice's psychosocial support program.
• Basic Caregiver Training Structured training program covering infection control, personal hygiene, pressure ulcer prevention, feeding, wound care, and other caregiving skills for family members, domestic helpers, and volunteers, conducted jointly with Friends of Seniors.
• Sponsored Care Packages A–F Itemised donor sponsorship packages covering homecare visits, hospital bed transport, Ensure milk nutritional supplements, specialised wound dressings, and CBD kits that fund specific components of patient care delivered by Charis Hospice.
• Charity Run Events Annual community charity run events themed 'Happy Feet Striding for Palliative Care' that raise public awareness and funds to support free palliative home care services for Charis Hospice patients.

Quantifiable outcome

• Manages up to 60 patients at any one time
• +1 more outcomes

Named customers1 record

Segments1 record

Ideal customer profiles1 record

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

Twelve partnerships are on record, tiered minor, major and core.

• ViTrox Technologies Sdn BhdminorGTM or Marketing Partner · 26 July 2019Charis Hospice conducted a palliative care awareness talk at ViTrox Technologies' new factory in Batu Kawan on July 26, 2019. This partnership aimed to raise awareness about palliative care among company staff.
• Green HerominorGTM or Marketing Partner · 19 June 2019Collaboration with Green Hero to bring awareness on palliative care and reduce food wastage, coinciding with Charis Hospice's 15th Anniversary celebration in 2019.
• Inti College, Sentral College, UTAR & Segi CollegeminorGTM or Marketing Partner · 10 March 2019Palliative care awareness talks arranged at various private colleges in Penang to educate students about palliative care and Charis Hospice services.
• Olive Tree HotelminorGTM or Marketing Partner · 24 October 2018Visit by Olive Tree Hotel departmental heads who provided lunch for MAC patients, volunteers and staff. Hotel made a kind donation of RM7,000.
• St Xavier's InstitutionminorGTM or Marketing Partner · 8 October 2018Charity drive beneficiary with donation of RM3,000 from students and teachers.
• Symbiotica Speciality IngredientsmajorGTM or Marketing Partner · 14 April 2018Major sponsor for Charity Hunt 2018. Also participated in Heritage Walk 2018 with RM15,000 donation.
• Agilent TechnologiesmajorGTM or Marketing Partner · 16 May 2017'Adopt A Patient' project - Agilent collected RM25,000 for wound care, CBD kits, milk supplements, transportation costs for hospital beds, and home visits. Also sponsored patients to Penang Hill in November 2016.
• Neighborhood Performance GroupminorGTM or Marketing Partner · 19 March 2017Drama performance at Komtar Auditorium A emphasizing importance of accepting death and allowing loved ones to die with dignity. Also donated RM5,000.
• Disted College Hospitality StudentsminorGTM or Marketing Partner · 29 October 2016B.O.O.B.S (Bunch of Outrageous Breast Cancer Survivors) project - breast cancer awareness charity event organized by Disted College Hospitality students with Charis Hospice as sole beneficiary. Raised RM30,000.
• FMM & OCBCminorGTM or Marketing Partner · 28 August 2016Heritage Walk & Cycle 2016 - selected Charis Hospice as beneficiary with donation of RM15,000.
• KDU University College PenangminorGTM or Marketing Partner · 11 April 2016Fundraiser by Communications and Public Relations students raised RM2,500 for Charis Hospice. Project themed 'Gratitude' to raise funds and create awareness on palliative care.
• Friends of Seniors (FOS)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerJoint partnership for conducting Basic Caregiver Training programs. Both organizations collaborate on training modules covering topics like infection control, personal hygiene, wound care, and patient transfer techniques.

Scale indicators9 records

Recent moves11 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Emerging players

• Pallium India: Trivandrum-based charitable trust providing free home-based palliative care across India with strong training and policy advocacy. Comparable as a South Asian nonprofit hospice using a doctor-nurse-volunteer home visit model and donation funding.
• Cancer Council Malaysia: National nonprofit focused on cancer awareness, screening, and patient support services. Comparable as a Malaysian health nonprofit serving cancer patients with overlapping populations; overlaps with Charis's patient base but does not directly deliver home palliative care.
• THK Home Personal Care Services: Singapore-based charity providing home personal care services including end-of-life care for the elderly. Comparable as a Southeast Asian nonprofit offering volunteer-supported in-home care for chronic and terminal patients, overlapping with the downstream end of Charis's service scope.

Broad incumbents

• Tzu Chi Malaysia: Malaysian branch of the international Buddhist Tzu Chi Foundation, which runs free medical outreach including home-based palliative services. Comparable as a large-scale Malaysian donation-funded nonprofit delivering volunteer-supported healthcare to vulnerable populations.
• National Hospice and Palliative Care Organization (NHPCO): US-largest membership organization representing hospice and palliative care providers. Comparable as the global reference body for charity hospice standards, advocacy, and PCOC-style quality benchmarking that Charis has now adopted.
• Singapore Hospice Council: Umbrella coordinating body for hospice and palliative care providers in Singapore. Comparable in mission (advancing community-based palliative care across Southeast Asia) and as a regional reference point for charity hospice governance and standards.

Direct peers

• Assisi Hospice: Singapore's largest charitable hospice providing home and inpatient palliative care. Comparable as a Southeast Asian faith-affiliated charity hospice offering free services to terminally ill patients via clinical staff and volunteers.
• Dover Park Hospice: Singapore-based charitable hospice providing home and inpatient palliative care since 1992. Highly comparable as a Southeast Asian donation-funded, volunteer-supported hospice serving patients with advanced life-threatening illnesses.
• Hospis Malaysia: Malaysia's largest community palliative care NGO based in Kuala Lumpur, offering home-based hospice and palliative care across the Klang Valley. Operates a near-identical model (free services, doctor/nurse home visits, volunteer-driven, donation-funded) and is the closest direct comparable to Charis Hospice within Malaysia.

Regional players

• Mount Miriam Cancer Hospital: Penang-based nonprofit cancer hospital that provides palliative and hospice-linked services to patients in northern Malaysia. Operates in the same geography and serves a similar patient profile, making it a natural cross-referral partner or competitor for advanced-illness care.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Facebookfacebook.com/charishospice
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/charis-hospice-penang

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles11 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Charis Hospice Penang