Lai juggles between job and caring for cancer-striken daughter

Story and photo by NG AI FERN aifern@thestar.com.my
Friday April 16, 2010

AMBER Chin has been in and out of Sarawak General Hospital (SGH). This seven-month-old infant started suffering from liver cancer when she was only three months old.

Her mother Lai Sze Wei, 26, said that Amber had to go to the hospital every two weeks for chemotherapy. She has to stay in the hospital for three to four days each time and Lai can never leave her alone.

“Normally, my in-laws look after her when I go to work, but when she has to go to the hospital, I have to apply for leave to keep her company ” said Lai, who works as a clerk.

Amber is Lai’s first child.

During a recent visit by Asajaya assemblyman Abdul Karim Rahman Hamzah and members of the Indian Association of Kuching, Amber was all smiles.

Children’s cancer ward nurse-in-charge Annie Ferdinand Chanberlin said there were 13 children at the ward and most of them were returning for therapy.

She said there were 68 admissions and 19 referral cases last month.

The group’s visit was in conjunction with the Tamil New Year celebrations.

Karim donated RM5,000 for SGH to purchase a new plasma TV for the ward.