NAZLIN NAWAWI (pix) was only 41 when he was diagnosed with lymphoma cancer.
His first reaction was to worry about his three children.
“They were still schooling and I was the main breadwinner in the family,” he told theSun.
He feared that if he lost his job at a palm oil mill, his wife would not be able to support the family with her income as a rubber tapper.
However, a specialist introduced him to the Projek Sambung Sekolah, a programme to ensure that education for children of cancer patients is not disrupted while they undergo treatment.
The programme, introduced in 2014, is a joint initiative of the Ampang Hospital haematology department, the Max Foundation and Max Family Society Malaysia, which is a support group for those with blood and rare cancers.
Under the programme, the children would be given financial assistance and emotional support until they finished their secondary education.
“The specialist in Malacca helped me fill out the application form. I was happy knowing that my children would not have to miss school.”
Today, Nazlin is relieved that his daughter, who is the eldest child, has completed her diploma course and is now doing practical training in culinary arts.
Nazlin’s nightmare began seven years ago when he found a lump on the right side of his neck.
He started to sweat at night and soon lost his appetite. But the diagnosis also brought relief.
“At least I knew what was causing the symptoms,” he said.
He initially sought traditional treatment but he took his doctors’ advice and went to see a specialist in Malacca for another diagnosis.
He said a tissue biopsy confirmed he had stage 3 lymphoma cancer, and that it had spread to his lungs, which explained his breathing difficulties.
Lymphoma accounts for about 55% of all blood cancers and is the sixth most common cancer in Malaysia.
It is most often diagnosed in people aged 15 to 35 and those aged over 50.
It attacks the lymphocytes, which are infection-fighting cells in the immune system.
On the advice of his doctors, Nazlin started chemotherapy at the Malacca General Hospital.
“It was a two-hour drive, every three weeks, from my home in Segamat, Johor.”
Nazlin said he was not afraid of the treatment, but was worried about the side effects.
“But I decided to go for it anyway, for the sake of my family,” he said.
Fortunately for him, his employer offered to provide a bus to ferry his children to school, lifting a burden off his shoulder.
Nazlin lost 40kg after 12 chemotherapy sessions. “I was a walking skeleton,” he said.
However, in 2019, he found that a lump had reappeared on his neck.
“I had to undergo another four cycles of chemotherapy and stem cell transplant at the Ampang Hospital,” he said.
“The specialists assured me that the transplant would enable my cells to rejuvenate,” he said.
He now awaits his next treatment in November.
As Malaysia marks Blood Cancer Awareness Month in September, Nazlin reflects on how lucky he is.
“My family is lucky to have received support and care under the programme,” he said.
As of this year, the programme has benefited a total of 170 children nationwide. Of the total, 137 children in primary and secondary schools are still receiving support. Eight of the 170 have moved on to tertiary level.
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