The word CANCER is the most dreadful word anyone would like to hear from their doctors. It was so scary and painful to most patients and their families. I am not a doctor for this topic but I have met so many patients. I consoled them, hugged them, fed them and fetched them everywhere in my car.
It all started in the year 2005 when my wife who has been a long time volunteer with Hospice Malaysia asked me to help her fetch a male cancer patient for blood transfusions one morning. He was bed ridden and my wife could not carry him up with both hands. I went along that morning to fetch the Chinese man called Andy. My heart sank when I saw him which looked like a bag of bones lying on his bed beside his Indian wife and pretty 6 year old daughter. I promptly carried him up gently and he tried very hard not to cry as his whole body was in agonizing pain. He was suffering from last stage of bone marrow cancer.
There was no turning back and Andy became my weekly friend where I had to fetch him to hospital for almost 2 years before he went to rest comfortably in heavens. I became active volunteer with Hospice and they assigned all their cancer patients in the entire Puchong, Cheras and other KL areas up to Putrajaya to me. My job was to fetch them all for various chemo treatments weekly at various hospitals in Klang Valley using my own transport and petrol. I was trained to handle them as many could barely walk properly. I was also told what not to speak with them - No Religions, No Politics, No Medicals, No MLM.... all these sensitive topics were forbidden unless the patient wished to speak them up.
Eventually, I became very famous after the full page articles appeared in Sin Chew Newspaper. Many people were touched and very moved to see the only "Husband & Wife" team doing this with Hospice. I learnt a lot about life and deaths after meeting so many friendly patients who shared all their happiness, sadness and regrets before going to better places. There were many sad cases where the patients had adult working children but they had no time for their parent's hospital visits. Never mind all that - Life is just a journey for everyone of us.
"Let's live happily and healthily from now on."
When a patient is diagnosed with the last Stage 4 of cancer, the doctors would often recommend them to get in touch with Hospice which is a NGO located in Cheras. Here, they will be able to receive palliative care from a team of professional doctors, nurses and volunteers at no cost!! They could even loan the special beds, wheel chairs and any other equipments. If they are mobile, they would attend the weekly day care sessions.
Many patients from all races and age came to the weekly day care. They were fed with most delicious meals provided by the kind & caring volunteers besides getting their exercises and massages. The doctors and nurses also checked their progress on the spot. All the patients changed eventually with positive mind and happier hearts. Many lived very much longer than what their doctors had numbered.
The patients gathered around a Physiotherapist who explained the little games they would be playing.
They always enjoyed light exercise activities where they could move all their limbs and keep the blood circulation moving.
I always saluted the volunteers who appeared like God's angels sent from heavens to care and walk the final journey with the patients. They would go all out to cook all the most exotic food and sinful desserts for the patients to enjoy.
Many wealthy individuals would cook 5-Star gourmet food and delivered
to the centre specially for the patients. There are many good and kind hearted
care givers like them who preferred to be quiet and unknown. There is no need to crow
on the trees for every little things that I have done. Please understand that I am here to share and create awareness about Hospice Care at my own accord.
We all know somebody who had suffered from cancer and seen the sufferings the whole family went through. If you ever meet someone again who might need help, please contact Hospice in KL or nearby your home state.
If you wish to live longer, I believe that we must exercise regularly and keep our body happy and stress-free! STRESS KILLS very fast and it would trigger all our cells to react negatively causing heart diseases and cancer.
My own motto:
1. Eat Healthily
2. Be Happy
3. Watch Movies
4. Exercise Daily
5. Go for Massage
My wife has signed up with the coming Standard Chartered's KL Marathon to raise funds for Hospice Malaysia. Please support and donate any amount to help them provide every care to the terminally ill patients. Even RM 2 or RM5 or RM10 would be greatly appreciated. We will not be able to know who the donors are or the amount donated, except the total raised anonymously by the runners. PLEASE HELP & click HERE
Thank you for reading!