Bold spirit keeps leukaemia-hit teen going
Hiew Yong Hong: Braving leukaemia and multiple surgeries at the age of 16.Picture: Syafie Nadi
Sunday, April 6, 2008
BEING diagnosed with a potentially cancerous disease can be devastating, but to go through three years of chemotherapy treatment for leukaemia and four major surgeries with another two scheduled for a 16-year-old, is even more unimaginable.
Hiew Yong Hong was diagnosed with leukaemia when he was 16 years old. It was in 2005, when he had just begun studying in Form Four at St Margaret's School in Seria.
Hiew Hai Ming, father of Hiew Yong Hong, said since the diagnosis three years ago,Yong Hong, now 18, has had to undergo two major operations because the chemotherapy treatment, according to him, resulted in his son losing his leg movements.
Yong Hong is currently undergoing extensive surgery on his legs at the Raja Isteri Pengiran Anak Saleha (Ripas) Hospital, due to nerve damage , caused by the powerful chemotherapy treatment, he added.
He has been in hospital since last October because the operations have to be done on both legs separately.
It began when Yong Hong experienced tightness of his leg muscles, shortly after the leukaemia treatment in 2005, which resulted in two major operations the following year.
Since then, he has had two more operations which is currently being carried out, and was scheduled to go under the knife again before his leg movements have recovered.
His father said that the operations alone costs over $40,000. On top of that, he has to carry on with the leukaemia treatment which is already expensive.
Unable to pay for the operations and treatment on their own, Yong Hong's family has been heavily dependent on contributions and donations from the public.
The family has been living in Kg Kiudang, Tutong for almost four years and the father was yesterday presented with a cheque for $1,131 that was collected among the villagers through the Kg Kiudang Consultative Council and the Welfare Association of the Chinese community in Kg Kiudang.
Hiew Hai Ming said: "The kindness and consideration of others in lending a helping hand to those in need should never be underestimated. We've only been living here for four years and already the neighbours are treating us as family and are willing to help out."
Hiew Hai Ming has two children with his 47-year-old wife, including their 19-year-old daughter who has been constantly by her brother's side to tend to his needs.
The family is of permanent resident status and moved to the village to join Hai Ming's father who is a long time resident of the village.
Yong Hong is currently admitted to Ward eight at Ripas Hospital.The Brunei Times
Hiew Yong Hong was diagnosed with leukaemia when he was 16 years old. It was in 2005, when he had just begun studying in Form Four at St Margaret's School in Seria.
Hiew Hai Ming, father of Hiew Yong Hong, said since the diagnosis three years ago,Yong Hong, now 18, has had to undergo two major operations because the chemotherapy treatment, according to him, resulted in his son losing his leg movements.
Yong Hong is currently undergoing extensive surgery on his legs at the Raja Isteri Pengiran Anak Saleha (Ripas) Hospital, due to nerve damage , caused by the powerful chemotherapy treatment, he added.
He has been in hospital since last October because the operations have to be done on both legs separately.
It began when Yong Hong experienced tightness of his leg muscles, shortly after the leukaemia treatment in 2005, which resulted in two major operations the following year.
Since then, he has had two more operations which is currently being carried out, and was scheduled to go under the knife again before his leg movements have recovered.
His father said that the operations alone costs over $40,000. On top of that, he has to carry on with the leukaemia treatment which is already expensive.
Unable to pay for the operations and treatment on their own, Yong Hong's family has been heavily dependent on contributions and donations from the public.
The family has been living in Kg Kiudang, Tutong for almost four years and the father was yesterday presented with a cheque for $1,131 that was collected among the villagers through the Kg Kiudang Consultative Council and the Welfare Association of the Chinese community in Kg Kiudang.
Hiew Hai Ming said: "The kindness and consideration of others in lending a helping hand to those in need should never be underestimated. We've only been living here for four years and already the neighbours are treating us as family and are willing to help out."
Hiew Hai Ming has two children with his 47-year-old wife, including their 19-year-old daughter who has been constantly by her brother's side to tend to his needs.
The family is of permanent resident status and moved to the village to join Hai Ming's father who is a long time resident of the village.
Yong Hong is currently admitted to Ward eight at Ripas Hospital.The Brunei Times
Business Besides Oil
