Liau lauds the SCCS for having done so much in providing all the help needed by the young cancer patients and their families.
MIRI (July 12): The incidence of cancer cases in the country is expected to double by 2040, based on a projection by World Health Organisation (WHO).
The global body reported that 48,639 new cancer cases was recorded in Malaysia in 2021, with breast cancer constituting the most cases, followed by colorectal cancer, lung cancer, nasopharyngeal cancer, and liver cancer.
Meanwhile, the Malaysia National Cancer Registry (MNCR) reported that breast, colorectal and lung cancers accounted for about half of total cancer cases registered nationwide.
According to MNCR Report 2012-2016, Sarawak recorded a total of 10,297 cancer cases of all types.
At present, the government-funded cancer treatment facility is located at Sarawak General Hospital (SGH) in Kuching, and it is regarded as the most affordable option for those who have been diagnosed with any type of cancer to obtain consultations and treatments.
However, the location is a big problem for patients from outside of Kuching, namely those from Sarawak’s central and northern regions, as the travelling alone would incur high expenses and require long, tiring hours.
Looking for options
Liau Kong Siong, whose child Samuel was diagnosed with neuroblastoma in 2020, was devastated when the doctor at Miri Hospital told him that treatment might not be possible and any chance of survival was slim.
This came right after the diagnosis was delivered, he recalled.
“It shook me to the core when the doctor said, though not the exact words, that there might be not much option for treatment.
“My son had just turned three years old then (and) for a doctor to tell me that there’s no hope for recovery, it was just brutal.”
Coming from a middle-income household, Liau went to a private hospital in Miri, looking for options.
“To my surprise, I was told that due to the nature of the cancer, there was no suitable treatment for my son.
“His case was then referred to the SGH in Kuching, for further consultations and check-ups.”
Samuel went through cycles of chemotherapies in Kuching in order to ‘stabilise’ this rare cancer that had developed in the nerve tissues. After that, he was sent to Kuala Lumpur Hospital to undergo tumour-removal surgery, followed by subsequent treatments including stem cell transplant and immunotherapy.
It is said that Samuel was the first patient supported by Sarawak Children’s Cancer Society (SCCS) to undergo immunotherapy – a treatment that was not readily available in Sarawak due to its high cost.
‘Emotional roller-coaster’
Recalling his experience in accompanying his son from Miri to Kuching, and to Kuala Lumpur, Liau described it as ‘an emotional roller-coaster; exhausting, as well as time and money-consuming’.
“For the rich folks, they can easily book flights and get to the specialists in Singapore.
“What about the poor folks? It’s already too expensive for us, as a middle-income family, to go back and forth between Miri, Kuching and Kuala Lumpur. I just cannot imagine those could not even afford to travel.
“I consider my family as fortunate, in that Samuel was able to get the treatment because we received strong support from the SCCS, my employer, our friends, our relatives, and even strangers who gave donations.”
Liau then related a story about a relative was diagnosed with pancreatic cancer several years ago.
“Upon receiving the diagnosis and being told about all the treatment options, including the need to go SGH for first round of consultation and treatment, he just gave up because he could not afford any of it.
“He felt that the money should be saved up for his family, rather than going through the tormenting process with no guarantee of recovery.
“He passed away several months later,” he said.
Help from SCCS
Liau pointed out that it would be fair for Sarawakians living further up in northern region to be given equal chances in seeking the treatments for cancer, without having to worry too much about money, accommodation, travelling and other matters.
He also talked about seeing the work done by the SCCS such as providing temporary accommodation, transportation, counselling and a host of other services to families caring for cancer-stricken children.
“For a non-governmental organisation (NGO), they have done so much in providing all the help needed by young patients and their families; yet, they still need to work very hard and appeal for donations from the public.
“We understand that it is not a sustainable way, because the money would run out, as the number of patients in Sarawak keeps increasing every year.
“The government needs to see the urgency of establishing a cancer treatment centre that is accessible to the patients, with them not having to worry about money, travelling and other issues,” stressed Liau.
Based on SCCS’ record as at last year, there were a total of 77 cases handled by the society and among them, 17 were from the state’s northern region (covering Miri, Lawas, Limbang, Marudi and areas in between them).
SCCS had so far helped 315 families from the northern region; five out of 53 families receiving transportation claims last year, were from the northern region.
Also last year, 16 cancer patients from the northern region had stayed at SCCS halfway home in Kuching while undergoing treatment at the SGH.
“It’s very comforting,” said Liau about being able to get help after ‘everything had to be sorted out from zero’.
He, however, stressed: “It’d be the best thing if a cancer treatment centre, meant to accommodate the patients, both adults and children, could be set up in the northern region of Sarawak.
“It could be built in Miri, or any place within the northern region.”
from Borneo Post Online https://bit.ly/3nVrcRP
via IFTTT
No comments:
Post a Comment