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Tag: cancer

  • Former Lions To Play In Charity Match For Cancer-Stricken Amin Nasir

    Former Lions To Play In Charity Match For Cancer-Stricken Amin Nasir

    A group of ex-Singapore international footballers are banding together for a charity game to raise donations for 
Amin Nasir.

    Former national defender and ex-S.League coach Amin has been battling cancer since 2012, and his former teammates are hoping they can help the 46-year-old and his family cope with medical bills.

    The ex-internationals will strut their stuff in a match tomorrow night at the Jalan Besar Stadium, against a team comprising youth coaches from the Football Association of Singapore and various local clubs.

    Entry to the match, which kicks off at 7pm, is free. Those who wish to make donations can do so at the stadium.

    Amin’s condition means he is unlikely to attend the game, but his only son, Garena Young Lions defender Ashrul Syafeeq, will be there to receive the donations on behalf 
of his family.

    Said ex-internationals team manager Richard Wong: “The ex-internationals all have one heart and look after one another.

    “No doubt, they are no longer playing and each has his own career.

    “But Amin has been in and out of hospital lately, and the whole team wanted to help out.”

    Amin, who is the older brother of former national captain Nazri Nasir, was first diagnosed with fourth-stage colon cancer in late 2012 but fought his way back to fitness.

    FIGHTING

    However, in August 2014, doctors discovered a cancerous 10-millimetre growth in his stomach and another near his kidney, 
during a routine check-up.

    He has been fighting the illness since.

    Said ex-international player Dalis Supait: “We’ve known each other for a long time.

    “For a while, it looked like Amin was getting better, but then recently things have not been so well.

    “We don’t know how much we will be able to raise, but we hope whatever amount it is, it will help to lighten the strain on his family.”

     

    Source: www.tnp.sg

  • Youth Puts Studies On Hold To Care For Cancer-Stricken Maid In At Her Own Home

    Youth Puts Studies On Hold To Care For Cancer-Stricken Maid In At Her Own Home

    He dreams of pursuing circus arts in an overseas university.

    But Mr Marshall Lim, 22, has put his plans on hold, all so he can accompany his maid home to Indonesia to look after her.

    The helper, Ms Jariyah, 40, has Stage 4 cancer and has decided to return to her hometown in Central Java to reunite with her family after working for Mr Lim’s family for 15 years.

    She has taken care of Mr Lim since she joined the household in 1996 when he was two years old. She also took care of his brother, Mayor, who is now 19 and a polytechnic student.

    Mr Lim said of Ms Jariyah: “She’s my other mother. She treats me and my brother like her sons.”

    Affectionately calling her “Auntie Jar”, he added: “Once Auntie Jar is settled down and better, I can always come home to continue my physical training to audition for circus school.”

    His mother, Ms Margaret Tan, 49, let Ms Jariyah return to her family in Cilacap once it became clear she has only months to live.

    Said Ms Tan, a divorcee: “I discussed with my boys about Jariyah returning home, and we decided Marshall could accompany her back.”

    They left on Sunday.

    Ms Tan made arrangements to pay for her hospital bills using insurance payouts when Ms Jariyah was diagnosed with Stage 4 cancer.

    She even raised funds by asking friends to contribute.

    FAMILY

    Breaking down as she spoke to The New Paper on Tuesday, Ms Tan, who would only say she worked in the medical field, said Ms Jariyah had become family.

    She was her pillar of support when Ms Tan got her divorce in 2005.

    Said Ms Tan: “She was in a divorce once too, so I think she understands how it’s like. We bonded over this and found support in each other.

    “She took good care of the family during my divorce. She would give me advice and even talk to the boys.

    “I’m very grateful for that. She even made sure I was eating well. She went through a lot of hard times with me.”

    When money got tight in 2009, Ms Tan could not keep Ms Jariyah.

    Ms Tan said: “I found a good employer for her. She visited at least once every two months when she was with her second employer.”

    Ms Jariyah returned to Indonesia in 2012 but came back to work for Ms Tan in 2014.

    What would have been a happy-ever-after was cut short when Ms Jariyah started getting sick a year later, often running fevers.

    Eventually, she was diagnosed with cancer of the liver last month. It has spread to the lungs and uterus.

    In tears, Ms Tan said: “She’s not my domestic helper, she’s my closest friend. I just can’t accept the fact that she has cancer.”

    They tried treatments and herbal remedies, but ultimately Ms Jariyah decided treatment was “too expensive”.

    She then asked Ms Tan to let her return home to her parents.

    From Cilacap, Mr Lim told The New Paper on Wednesday that he has been looking after Ms Jariyah.

    She has fevers several times a day. He sometimes takes her out, like to the beach, for fresh air.

    Mr Lim said Ms Jariyah’s new house, which she hoped to build with her salary, had been under renovation since January. Due to lack of funds, the work stopped.

    He said: “Auntie Jar and I want to concentrate on getting well first before continuing renovations.”

    His bigger concern now is getting “healthy food” for her.

    MAKING DO

    “There’s a lack of variety in terms of fruit and vegetables, and berries – which are good for fighting cancer but are not available. I buy what is available and make do with what I have.

    “We also brought some quinoa from Singapore.”

    He has been helping with the chores at Ms Jariyah’s house.

    He said: “Auntie Jar’s daughter is still making food for me, so I have to force her to let me do chores or I’ll do it myself.”

    He has not planned when he will be returning to Singapore and does not have a long-term visa to stay in Indonesia.

    Said Mr Lim: “I guess I’ll stay for a month. Longer if possible, I’m not really too sure.

    “I just want her to be happy and healthy. If she’s happy with her family here, then I’ll be happy for her.”

    I’m very grateful for that. She even made sure I was eating well. She went through a lot of hard times with me.

    – Ms Margaret Tan, Ms Jariyah’s employer

    Her friends donate money to Ms Jariyah

    When Ms Jariyah, 40, was diagnosed with cancer, Ms Margaret Tan decided to raise funds for her treatment and for the renovation work on her house back in Indonesia.

    Ms Tan reached out to her friends, who donated money to help. She collected about $1,500.

    Said Ms Tan, 49: “I just want to help Jariyah, she’s important to me. We are not trying to be popular, we just want to do our best to raise funds for her. And I want to thank friends who have donated.”

    Ms Tan said the domestic insurance covers only hospitalisation and she does not know if it can be claimed.

    Ms Jariyah’s hospital bills cost $11,000.

    Ms Tan said: “We only have $15,000 per year for insurance payout, so we can’t afford chemotherapy, which is about $20,000.”

    Ms Jariyah did not consider chemotherapy as she knew it was expensive. The doctor told Ms Tan that Ms Jariyah would probably have months to live without chemotherapy.

    The Foreign Domestic Worker Association for Social Support and Training (Fast)also donated a token sum of $1,000 to Ms Jariyah.

    Fast is a non-profit organisation which promotes social support and skills training for foreign domestic workers.

    Initiated by the Ministry of Manpower (MOM), it was founded in March 2005 and co-ordinates courses for migrant workers here, such as cookery, English and business skills.

    On how they knew of the case, Mr Muhammad Nizam Amlan, manager of Fast, said: “(Ms Jariyah) told a friend about her condition and her friend (a Fast volunteer) came to us about the case (last Wednesday). We thought it was a good way to provide assistance.”

    Ms Tan told TNP she hopes there would be people to help Ms Jariyah.

    She said: “The money would go to having a better living environment for Jariyah and also for treatment, healthy food.

    “We have to keep Jariyah happy, so she has strength to fight the cancer.”

    She shaves head to help maid’s son

    CHARITY: Domestic helper Mariza Canete watches as her employer Isabelle Claisse’s head is shaved at a fund-raiser for her son. ST FILE PHOTO

    Ms Margaret Tan and her sons are not the only employers here who are raising funds for their domestic helpers.

    Earlier this year, The Straits Times reported how an employer, Ms Isabelle Claisse, 38, a lawyer, went bald to raise funds for her domestic helper’s son.

    Ms Mariza Canete’s 11-year-old boy had a “potentially fatal” tumour on his left leg.

    Through two campaigns on Generosity, crowdfunding site Indiegogo’s charity platform, nearly $63,000 was raised.

    Ms Canete, 30, told The New Paper on Wednesday night her son had another operation on his leg earlier this month in the Philippines.

    She said: “It was an infection, but now he’s discharged and recovering at home. He’s better, though he’s still skinny, but his appetite is back.”

    Ms Canete is still working in Singapore while her son is recovering back home.

    To Ms Canete, “forever” will never be enough to express her gratitude.

    She said: “I feel so blessed that there are people who helped to save my son’s life.”

    Ms Claisse, 38, told TNP they are still seeking donations.

    She said: “It really was incredible. Obviously, in many ways it was an awful experience, but I was able to take so many positives from it.”

    Madam Tey Ah Neo is another employer here who helped her domestic helper. In 2014, The Straits Times reported that Madam Tey, a retired accounts manager, paid for Ms Rodalina Dalauidao’s three children’s university education.

    Madam Tey received the Foreign Domestic Worker Employer of the Year award, which was given out by the Foreign Domestic Worker Association for Social Support and Training in December that year.

     

    Source: www.tnp.sg

  • 9 More Months To Live, Malay Naval Logistics Command Corporal Holds Solo Art Exhibition In Fight Against Cancer

    9 More Months To Live, Malay Naval Logistics Command Corporal Holds Solo Art Exhibition In Fight Against Cancer

    In battling his illness, CPL Muhammad Khairul Ikwan has shown us what it means to be resilient, to be hopeful, and to fight unyieldingly, even in the face of cancer.

    “I want people to see that hope can be anything – even negative things, like illness, can become positive things as well. I don’t want people to see pain as a hindrance to stop them from what they want to do in life.”

    This is why Khairul chose the title ‘Hope’ for his solo art exhibition.

    A naval material assistant with Naval Logistics Command (NALCOM), Khairul was diagnosed with Stage 4 colorectal cancer last year and lost much of his vision and hearing since. Despite the pain and the side effects from his fortnightly chemotherapy, he continues to stay positive by directing his attention to arts – a passion of his since young.

    And this Thursday, he will be fulfilling his greatest wish of holding an exhibition to showcase his art works, expressing the experience in which he battled his illness. Jointly organised by Nanyang Academy of Fine Arts (NAFA) and HCA Hospice Care, it will be held at NAFA on-air gallery from 21 – 25 Apr.

    Your support would mean much to Khairul and us here in the Navy.

    ***

    The nightmare began with a ringing in Mr Muhammad Khairul Ikwan’s ears last July.

    Then he developed a migraine so severe he could barely stand and had to crawl to the toilet.

    Doctors discovered he had Stage 4 colorectal cancer, which had spread from his intestines to his brain.

    At age 23, the young man has lost much of his vision, hearing and hair, and no longer parties as he once did with friends.

    But the Nanyang Academy of Fine Arts (Nafa) graduate is not wallowing in despair. Instead, he is launching an exhibition of 87 art pieces at the school on Thursday.

    Titled Hope, the works represent his experience battling his illness.

    He said: “I want people to see that hope can be anything – even negative things, like illness, can become positive things as well.

    “I don’t want people to see pain as a hindrance to stop them from what they want to do in life. ”

    Jointly organised by Nafa and HCA Hospice Care, the exhibition fulfils one of Mr Khairul’s greatest wishes under the Star Pals palliative care programme for youth with life-limiting illnesses.

    Mr Khairul is the second of four children. His mother is a secretary in a law firm, while his father is a safety supervisor in a shipping company.

    Ms Nur Alwiyah, 25, a customer service officer at a call centre, said her brother is expected to live about nine more months .

    Said Mr Khairul: “It’s shocking to go from healthy to seriously ill, but anger won’t make the illness go away.”

    He now has chemotherapy fortnightly and wears a stoma bag to collect his waste, which goes out of his body through a hole in his abdomen.

    In the four months he spent on art, he had to battle the side effects of chemotherapy, such as fatigue and vomiting but he soldiered on.

    He used to listen to music while painting, but having lost most of his hearing. He now reads song lyrics or poetry for inspiration.

    His favourite work in the exhibition is a series titled Spirits & I (Eye), a set of six watercolour paintings.

    Three are in red and have an eye motif, which he describes as “surgical, with veins”, while three in blue are “water spirits rising up”.

    “Because of my affected vision, I am going through so much pain. But at the same time, there are so many people lifting my spirits,” he said.

    Apart from paintings, he is also exhibiting mixed media works with synthetic hair, photographs, a video and a fabric piece.

    Calling art a therapeutic outlet, Mr Khairul said his role model is Japanese artist Yayoi Kusama, who uses her artwork as a way to express her mental illness.

    The exhibition, which is free, will be at the Nafa on-air gallery from April 21 to 25.

    And he is already dreaming of his next project, a photography exhibition with himself as the subject.

    He said: “What’s the point of giving up when you’re still living? The only moment you give up is when you’re dead.

    “If I can recover, it will be a miracle, but if I can’t, I will just keep on fighting, make more works of art and leave a legacy.”

     

    Source: Republic Of Singapore Navy and Straits Times

  • Miracle Baby: Cancer Survivor Conceives And Gives Birth To Healthy Baby

    Miracle Baby: Cancer Survivor Conceives And Gives Birth To Healthy Baby

    She may be the first Singaporean to undergo a ground-breaking medical procedure called ovarian tissue cryopreservation.

    But all Madam Siti Nurjannah Sapiee, 32, is grateful for is that it enabled her to be a mother.

    Her journey to motherhood began with a devastating roadblock.

    Just three months before her planned wedding, in November 2009, Madam Siti, who was then 26, was shaken by two diagnoses – cancer and infertility.

    The former primary school teacher was diagnosed with synovial sarcoma of the thigh, a rare cancer of the soft tissues that typically occurs near the large joints of the arms or legs.

    INFERTILITY

    To make matters worse, she was told that chemotherapy might render her infertile.

    Madam Siti, who is now a housewife, said: “The most heartbreaking thing to me was remembering that my fiance wanted three kids and I felt I couldn’t give him what he wanted.”

    So she postponed her wedding to November 2010 and focused on battling her illness to pursue her chances of having children.

    Madam Siti was referred to Dr Anupriya Agarwal, a consultant at the National University Hospital (NUH) Women’s Centre’s Department of Obstetrics & Gynaecology, by her oncologist, Dr Andrea Wong.

    Before the start of her cancer treatment, the doctors discussed how to sustain her fertility.

    They suggested ovarian tissue cryopreservation, a procedure that involves the removal of ovarian tissue from Madam Siti’s body and keeping it in frozen storage until after her recovery.

    In-vitro fertilisation, an alternative procedure, was not an option as Madam Siti was engaged, but not married at that time.

    “You don’t know how much you want a baby until somebody tells you that you can’t have one,” she said tearfully.

    In December 2009, Madam Siti underwent the ovarian tissue cryopreservation procedure, which cost $5,000. Soon after, she underwent chemotherapy.

    About three years later, in March 2013, Madam Siti was confirmed to be cancer-free and was ready for the ovarian tissue to be reimplanted into her body.

    EXTREMELY CONCERNED

    Her husband, Mr Raihan Haji Rajin, 32, told The New Paper that he was still extremely concerned.

    “Even though she was cancer-free, I didn’t want her to neglect her health just so that she could conceive my child. I wanted her to raise it with me,” said the primary school teacher.

    Madam Siti’s menstrual cycle returned three months after the ovarian tissue was reimplanted.

    Over a year later, in October 2014, the moment she had been dreaming of finally came.

    Mr Raihan said: “She woke me up one morning and showed me a pregnancy test that showed a positive result. I told her to try two more times and all three tests were positive.

    “At that time, she was already excited, but I didn’t want to raise our hopes, to be disappointed in the end. That’s why I was still quite hesitant and wanted to wait until we received confirmation from a doctor.”

    Madam Siti said it was not until the third month of her pregnancy, when the gynaecologist showed them a sonogram of their baby, that she and her husband really believed they would be having a child.

    She recalled having an easy pregnancy. Once, she had a craving for belacan that could be bought only in Malacca.

    “The funny thing is I didn’t even want to eat it, I just wanted to smell it,” she said with a chuckle.

    On May 21 this year, Madam Siti gave birth to Nur Hannah A’qiylah.

    Weighing 2.7kg at birth, baby Hannah is reportedly one of only 21 babies worldwide who was conceived naturally following ovarian tissue cryopreservation, according to NUH.

    Her birth is reportedly the first in Asia.

    Madam Siti said: “If I could advise anyone who is going through the same thing I did, I would tell them to have faith and not give up. Hannah is proof that miracles still exist in this world.”

    She now faces a time limit: Her reimplanted ovaries are viable for only five years. Otherwise, she will have to go through the entire procedure all over again.

    She said: “I am very happy and contented right now. But I hope to try again for another child in the next five years.”

    You don’t know how much you want a baby until somebody tells you that you can’t have one.

    – Madam Siti Nurjannah Sapiee

    OVARIAN TISSUE HARVESTED & FROZEN

    HAPPY MUM: Madam Siti hopes to try for another child as her reimplanted ovaries are viable for only five years.

    Soon after her cancer treatment, Madam Siti Nurjannah Sapiee was also put on hormone replacement therapy to ease the effect of premature menopause, which had been brought about by the temporary removal of her ovarian tissue.

    In the ovarian tissue cryopreservation procedure, doctors harvested tissue that stores the eggs from both of Madam Siti’s ovaries.

    A special freezing technique was used to preserve that portion of tissue, also known as the cortex.

    Ms Joyce Mathew, chief embryologist in NUH’s Department of Obstetrics & Gynaecology, said: “The most crucial part of the freezing procedure in the laboratory was to ensure that there would be no freeze damage to the egg cells in the cortical tissue.”

    By March 2013, Madam Siti had recovered from cancer and was ready to have children.

    The frozen tissue was thawed and rinsed with a special thawing solution, then reimplanted into her body via a mini laparotomy.

    The surgical procedure involves making a large incision through the abdominal wall to gain access into the abdominal cavity and it was done with the use of extremely fine sutures.

     

    Source: www.tnp.sg

  • Cancer Patient Thought Her Insurance Agent-Friend Had Her Fully Covered, She Was Wrong

    Cancer Patient Thought Her Insurance Agent-Friend Had Her Fully Covered, She Was Wrong

    Colon cancer patient Lily Ng, 62, had a rude shock when her insurer AIA Singapore offered to pay only a fraction – or $75,000 – of her hospitalisation claim of $320,000.

    AIA alleged that she failed to state her diabetic condition when she upgraded her AIA hospitalisation plan two years ago. All consumers have a duty to disclose information that will affect insurance terms.

    Madam Ng bought an AIA HealthShield Gold Max C plan – which covers hospitalisation in B1 wards in government hospitals on an as-charged basis – in 2000. Back then, she was not diabetic, but developed the condition about five years ago.

    Two years ago, her AIA agent and friend of 30 years recommended that she upgrade to an AIA HealthShield Gold Max A plan, together with a rider, to enjoy first-dollar coverage for future private hospitalisation bills. The upgrade was confirmed in January last year. The annual premium for the plan is $2,790.

    With that assurance, Madam Ng was warded at Mount Elizabeth Hospital in April this year when she was diagnosed with colon cancer, racking up $320,000 in hospitalisation bills. She was in and out of hospital between April and September.

    Amid the trauma of undergoing operations and cancer treatment, she had a double whammy when AIA informed her that it would reimburse her only $75,000 based on the terms of her previous C plan.

    AIA had rejected her claim under her upgraded A plan because it alleged that Madam Ng failed to disclose that she has diabetes when she completed her “Change Form” document to effect the upgrade.

    Madam Ng said: “I was very stressed and angry. I paid for the upgraded policy and did not get the coverage that I paid for. I was at a loss on how my bills would be settled. It is a huge sum.”

    The family complained to the insurer and then to the authorities.

    During the claims investigation process, AIA later learnt that the agent was the one who completed the form and provided false information which was not given by Madam Ng.

    She had been unable to check whether the information given by the agent on her behalf was correct as she is not literate in English.

    Madam Ng recalled that she had even asked her agent whether she needed to go for a medical test as part of the upgrade, but was told it was unnecessary.

    The agent had asked her to sign the “Change Form” document but failed to run through the document thoroughly with her, including obtaining her answers for three health-related questions.

    Instead, the agent had ticked “no” to each of them, indicating that Madam Ng had no medical issues.

    Last month, AIA approved Madam Ng’s claim of $320,000 on the grounds that the agent had not “adhered to AIA’s standards” and said that it has taken disciplinary action against her.

    When contacted, AIA said that protecting its customers’ interests is a top priority.

    AIA said: “We have a zero-tolerance policy with regard to misconduct by our AIA financial services consultants and expect them to adhere to the highest ethical and industry standards. We have carried out a review and taken the necessary disciplinary action for this isolated case.

    “AIA encourages policyholders to go through the necessary forms with their representatives to ensure that all information is accurate and complete. This will help to avoid any subsequent complications.”

    The insurer added that it will continue to enhance its internal procedures and forms where relevant, to ensure that policyholders’ interests are always safeguarded.

    It declined to give details on how the agent had been penalised.

     

    Source: www.straitstimes.com