Hospice

Bulletin
PP13040/03/2009(022048)-Vol.13 No 2 - Apr 2009
Newsletter of the National Cancer Society
of Malaysia, Penang Branch

Throughout the ages the importance of caring for others

CARING is CARING
has been recognized for social cohesion and solidarity.
It is of course a quality essential for anyone entering the
caring profession.

My attention was drawn to a report in a local newspaper
a few weeks ago that medical staff including doctors
and nurses were not caring enough. This finding
arose in a recent evaluation of staff performance at all
government hospitals and health clinics. It also showed
that waiting time to see doctors or to have surgeries
had improved which is good news for the public.
Medicine is one of the caring professions. In fact care
is the foundation of medical practice. The Minister of
Health is quoted - “It’s not that our staff do not care. It’s
just that they do not care enough. Care, affection and
a smile can have a healing effect on patients”. So the
Ministry has relaunched its corporate culture campaign
– which emphasizes a caring attitude, professionalism
and teamwork. Staff will now wear a badge with a logo
of a hand on the heart along with the words “KAMI
SEDIA MEMBANTU”.
Can care be taught? The prime teacher is example. So
it falls on parents first. Caring parents will usually have
caring children. It should be reinforced in schools and
maintained in society by supportive structures and
facilities. Underlying will be the approach or belief that
the human race is one and we will all benefit by helping
one another. One way is encouraging children and even
adults to care for animals.
If a caring attitude is well established before one
embarks to become a nurse or a doctor then it is likely
to remain in the profession. However, much depends on
the environment at work , for instance, colleagues can
influence us positively or negatively. The environment
must also be supportive. Together the quality of caring
can be of a high level. Its appreciation by the patients or
the authorities will in turn be reinforcement.

This is indeed splendid news as some common

perceptions of services at government facilities were
addressed in this evaluation for long waits for attention,
investigations for treatment and lack of care.

So what is caring? Care is a presence or absence of

life that we can easily recognize. In the evolution of
life caring becomes a part of survival of the species.
Where would we be if not for our parents, especially our
mothers? Care begins with the pregnancy as the focus
is to have a healthy baby.

So is caring an instinct? For the young, yes. Its expressions

1
may come on strongly in some of us. As children age
into adults the necessity to care is less needed.
 Central to hospice or palliative care is caring. Most of
the patients who are admitted into our programme do
have advanced diseases. Good care will comfort the
patient and help to allay the distress of his or her loved
ones. This is the least we can give to our fellow human
beings as they approach their last milestone in life. The
motto “WE ARE READY TO HELP” echoes the underlying
philosophy of our chosen service – that there is always
something that can be done to decrease suffering.

Ideally this should be seen to be available from diagnosis

of any major illness. Such an eventuality will transform
all medical care. All providing palliative care should be its
strongest advocates. We must not avoid this challenge
if we are to be true to our calling to reduce suffering.
Dr Eric Cassel whose special interest is in suffering,
said: “suffering is suffering is suffering” and all health
professionals have to address suffering not only at the
end of life but more importantly from the time suffering
ensues, which usually is from diagnosis. This approach
will help remove the common global perception that
palliative care is for the dying. To reiterate – it is for all
who suffer from a major illness irrespective of the stage
of the disease. As most patients with a major disease are
not dying imagine the vast amount of suffering that is
currently not addressed. The ball is at our feet!

CONTENTS
03 HAPPENINGS • Carers’ Meetings - Penang Island
• Palliative Care 2009 - Perth Australia
• 14th Counseling Course
• Palliative Care Case Presentation
• Free Mammograms
• Staff Matters
04 - 05 Happenings - At Rumah Hospis Pulau Pinang
06 - 08 Relay For Life
09 - 10 A Survivor’s Story
11 • Story From The Bedside
• Our Experience With Hospice
HOSPICE BULLETIN is the quarterly newsletter of the National Cancer
Society of Malaysia, Penang Branch. We welcome your contribution to the
bulletin. Please submit at least six weeks before issue date which are the first
day of January, April, July and October 2009.
All items submitted for inclusion in the Hospice Bulletin must be signed but
author’s requests to remain anonymous will be respected. Contributions can
be sent to: The Editorial Team, Rumah Hospis Pulau Pinang, 250A Jalan Air
Itam, 10460 Pulau Pinang. Tel: 04-228 4140 Fax: 04-2264676
THE EDITORIAL TEAM Dato’ Seri Dr T Devaraj, Dr Oo Khaik Cheang, Mdm Mui
Siew Koon, Ms Ho Yet Min
PUBLICATION ASSISTANTS Ms Chitra Alagan
The views expressed in HOSPICE BULLETIN are not necessarily those of the
National Cancer Society of Malaysia, Penang Branch or of the Editorial team.

www.penanghospice.org.my
www.relayforlife.org.my

2
Carers’ Meeting - Penang Island 14TH COUNSELLING COURSE
Carers’ Meetings will be held every 1st and 3rd Saturdays For the first time this course will be held at Rumah
unless otherwise indicated (*) by the organizer. Hospis Pulau Pinang, 250A Jalan Air Itam, 10460 Penang.
Venue : Rumah Hospis Pulau Pinang It will begin on Sunday 14 June 2009 and end with an
Day : 1st and 3rd Saturdays examination on Sunday 6 September 2009.
Time : 11.30am to 12.30pm
2009 For applications or further information, please log on
April 4 Case Studies to http://ncsmpg.blogspot.com/ or call Devi/Liza at
18 Long Term Inpatients 04-228 4140 or e-mail ncsmpg@gmailcom.
May 2 Case Studies
16 Managing common co-morbid
conditions
19TH PALLIATIVE CARE CASE PRESENTATION
June 6 Case Studies
20 Continuous professional The last Palliative Care Case Presentation held at the
development Palliative Care Unit of Hospital Bukit Mertajam was
July 4 Case Studies well attended by various hospice groups in Penang.
18 After Hours Calls Hospital Pulau Pinang is hosting the 19th Palliative
Aug 1 Case Studies Care Case Presentation at the 4th Floor Meeting Room,
15 Role Play – Exploring Difficult issues at 2.30pm, Thursday 23 April 2009. All those interested
Sept 5 Case Studies in palliative care are invited to attend this meeting. For
19 Discussion - Lung cancer more information, please call 04-228 4140.

Palliative Care Nurse Wong Soo Yeng addressing the crowd at Participants listening attentively
the Palliative Unit of Hospital Bukit Mertajam.

TOGETHER 2009! FREE MAMMOGRAMS

PERTH Combining the 10th Australian Palliative All the 200 free mammograms were taken up. Only one
Care Conference and the 8th Asia-Pacific Hospice case of breast cancer was picked up. Our thanks to the
Conference. Penang Rotary Club for helping us to provide this free
service.

STAFF MATTERS
We are glad to welcome
Dr Lalitha Jeyasingam to
our service as Palliative
Care Physician and also to
say farewell to Dr Anthony
Balavendrian who is leaving.

REGISTRATION FEES
FULL REGISTRATION Early bird closes Standard closes Later after
27 March 2009 23 August 2009 23 August 2009
Medical AUD790 AUD990 AUD1185
Nurse/Allied AUD660 AUD825 AUD990 3
Student - full time/Carers/ AUD310 AUD385 AUD460
Volunteers
Please log on to http://www.conlog.com.au/palliativecare2009/ for further details.
 HAPPENINGS AT RUMAH HOSPIS PULAU PINANG
The Interact Club members of St George’s Girls’ School joined us at the hospice in batches over three days and took
part in various activities with gusto which was so contagious that the patients were also infected by their enthusiasm!
Some students played board games with them whilst others engaged in art work and chatting. The female patients
had hand massages and manicures! Some students helped to clean and reorganize the equipment room which was
a great help to us indeed. Thank you Interactors!

4
A local band ‘ Desire’ very kindly consented to come and entertain our patients on the 22 February . The band members
(Gerard Amirnath, Fabian Xavier, Stanley Xavier and Joseph Pragasam) sang and played for almost an hour and it was
great to see the smiles on the patients faces as some of them hummed along. Music is a complementary therapy that
is increasingly being used in palliative care and in hospices all over the world. It is our fervent desire that ‘Desire‘ will
continue to make music at the Penang Hospice on a regular basis …!

Making memories is something special that all of us

should do at every opportunity we get. It helps us to
remember and treasure the special moments and good
times we shared with those we love. Colourful ‘memory
boxes’ are being given out to those patients who wish
to write special messages or letters to their loved ones.
We are looking for a volunteer who enjoys art and craft
work; who would be willing to assist our patients on a
regular basis and help them to create ‘little works of art’
that they can give to their friends and families. Often,
patients feel ‘useless’ and a burden to their families. This
would be a wonderful way for them to give, instead of
always being on the receiving end. Please contact Dr.
Lalitha Jeyasingam (e-mail: drlalithaj@gmail.com) or at
04-228 4140 ext. 106 should you want to volunteer your
services.

MrWePishu
thankofour
Sadhu Vaswani Penang generously donated
donors We thank the staff and management of BRIGHT RANK
five hundred ringgit worth of much needed drugs. Thank SDN BHD for generously donating food items and
you very much! We do hope others will come forward disposables for patients of Rumah Hospis Pulau Pinang.
to help us in this area as we need antibiotics and other
medicines frequently.
5
 RELAY FOR LIFE
by James Lochhead

The fifth Relay for Life - Fighting Cancer Together

culminated in another wonderfully successful event in
Penang’s Taman Perbandaran (Youth Park) on Saturday, 14
March and Sunday, 15 March.

Some 3,000 people gathered on the Saturday afternoon,

ready to celebrate our on-going fight against cancer. They
came to the field where there was a beautiful track laid
out, together with signs proclaiming the key messages
of our campaign: “Early Detection and Proper Treatment
Save Lives”; “Celebrating Survivorship”; “Practise a Healthy
Lifestyle”; and “Go for Regular Check-ups”. Next to these
was the “Thank You To All Our Sponsors”.

Around the track, at the edge of the field, were the tents,
festooned with colours and balloons. There was the
registration tent, the volunteers’ tent, the survivors’ tent,
the tent for games and other activities, the luminaria tent,
the exhibition tent, the St Johns Ambulance Tent, the
health screening tent and of course the food tent. Team
contingents also had put up their own tents: Dell Asia
Pacific Sdn, Universiti Utara Malaysia, Penang Adventist
Hospital, Loh Guan Lye Specialist Centre, Merck, St Xavier’s
and Uplands were just some of those with their own canvas
covering.
It was a fabulous scene. And of course everyone was in their
purple Relay t-shirts. Early comers were entertained to the
sweet music of Sweet Memories. The Pejabat Kesihatan
Timur Laut were on hand to provide free breast and blood
pressure checks. And the games team got the games going
in full swing. The very popular food tent was already full by
the time 5.45pm came around, serving as it did an extensive
range of food and drinks very competitively priced.
Dr Lalitha
This was the scene that greeted Penang’s Chief Minister
YAB Lim Guan Eng, on his arrival to officially open the
Relay. Accompanied by YB Phee Boon Poh, State Executive
Councillor in charge of Health, Welfare, The Caring Society
and Environment, Guan Eng told the crowd of the state
government’s commitment to the fight against cancer,
6 and the importance of community-based events like Relay.
After presenting a special memento to a representative of
over 80 cancer survivors who were supporting the event,
Guan Eng flagged off the Relay to a massive cheer.
The first lap was as usual walked by the survivors and
their families and carers. It is always inspiring to see so
many people walking together, sharing in their personal
battle against cancer. It carries the messages of hope
to so many of us: that cancer is not necessarily a death
sentence; that thousands of Penangites have survived
cancer; that if we have cancer, we are not alone. There is
support, if we want it.
Then everyone flooded on to the track. Team banners
were carried with pride; and the mass of people, of
all ages but with a strong representation of students
and teenagers, shouted and sang their way round the
track, embarked on a 16-hour overnight Relay which
symbolises our ongoing fight against cancer.
Our leading sponsor for the second year, Dell Asia Pacific
Sdn, were well represented. Wawasan Open University,
again supporting relay with a generous sponsorship of
t-shirts, were there. And there was an amazing team
from Universiti Utara Malaysia (UUM), who had come
all the way from Sintok, Kedah to participate. They had
raised some RM10,000 for Relay and it was fantastic to
see their commitment, spirit and effort.
Other exuberant teams included St Xavier’s Institution,
Penang Adventist Hospital, Lam Wah Ee Hospital
(who always have a wonderful team), Disted College,
Penang Chinese Girls’ High School, Institut Pendidikan
Guru Pulau Pinang, KDU College of Nursing, Loh Guan
Lye Specialist Centre, Uplands International School,
St Georges’, Kolej Kejururawatan Pulau Pinang, Soka
Gakkai Malaysia, Dalat International School, Chung Ling
High School and Methodist Boys’ School.
Meanwhile, the entertainment was well underway.
Cheerleaders from St George’s Girls’ School Penang,
dance routines by Celebrity Fitness School Penang, dance
routines by Celebrity Fitness and the Golden Girls that
included cancer survivors took us through to 8.00pm,
when the mood changed. This is the time of our luminaria
ceremony, a special 30 minutes which allows anyone to
remember and honour someone they know who has
struggled with cancer. Hundreds of luminaria bags, many
with fabulous hand-painted or hand-drawn decorations
and messages, were placed around the track, an inspiring
sight. A special poem was read and a period of quiet
marked our respect.

Then the Relay continued again. Teams walked

throughout the night, taking it in turns to go round the
track, to get some food, watch some of the wonderful live
stage entertainment, or share stories with friends old and
new.

Throughout the night, spot prizes were competed for:

limbo rock, clearing rubbish from the Relay track, moon-
walking, first one to bring a red headscarf, etc. As dawn
broke, the few hundred who had persevered were
rewarded with the smells of breakfast, and were later
invited to join in a tug of war, watch a yoga demonstration,
and then participate in a very lively and popular aerobics
session with Jeorge Subramanaiam.

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 All too soon, the last laps were being walked. YB Phee
Boon Poh had joined us again, and, together with Relay’s
Organising Chairman, Dato’ Seri Dr T Devaraj, officiated
our closing ceremony. This was kick started by an Ikhlas
dance from Temple of Fine Arts, and we then witnessed
the various awards given for special contributions to
Relay. This included a Dell Inspiron laptop (part of Dell’s
fantastic sponsorship), given to the person 23 or under
won by Mr Koh Kok Kyan who had raised the highest
collection of RM2380, via donation card for this year’s
Relay. Other awards given at the ceremony were for
best team collection which went to “Team Kat” led by
Ms Doreen Tan. They managed to raise RM10,000. Team
contingents who did 16 hours on the track non-stop
included University Utara Malaysia, St Xavier’s Institution,
Uplands School, Penang Chinese Girls’ High School, etc.
A group of friends who called themselves the Waterfall
Weekend Wanderers RAN the relay in turns for 16 hours.
The best decorated tent went to St Xavier’s Institution
who made admirable effort to involve many students in
the effort to fight cancer.
The last words were from Dato’ Seri Dr T Devaraj. “Take
the messages of Relay into every corner, to all your
families, friends and colleagues,” he urged. “And see you
next year!”
So despite the present depressing economic conditions,
which has made fund-raising this year very difficult,
Relay For Life continues to prosper. It was great to have
so many younger participants, and also great to have our
key sponsors back again. Dell Asia Pacific Sdn, Wawasan
Open University and University Utara Malaysia were this
year’s leading sponsors, with Dell leading the way for the
second year running. We had 270 teams registered and
200 individuals. And once all the money is counted, we
hope to have raised over RM280,000.00.

8 Thank you to all who participated!

You are the people who make relay the wonderful
event it is. See you next year.

A SURVIVOR’S STORY
NO SWAN SONG FOR SONG
by Dr Yim-Poh Yin
When challenged with mortality, there are difficult questions
which beg to be answered. What can I do to live longer?
What did I do wrong? Why me? Will my family be alright?
Have I achieved my dreams? Have I seized every moment?
What do I do with my remaining time?
At the age of 64, Song Jin Tek in Penang found himself
facing these tough questions when he was told he had
cancer. Song decided to do whatever he could to fight for
more years to his life. Even though he had already brought
up his family of three and his heaviest responsibilities were
over, his love and passion for life was still going strong.
Taken by Song in 2008: Fish roe draped on a tree branch under siege by an
army of red ants. The ants hanging on and working together remind us of
the continuous support and teamwork needed in the ongoing battle against
cancer.
Being a commercial photographer by profession, Song
captures moments for a living. He keeps watch for hours,
hoping to capture the mother bird returning with the day’s
catch to feed its eagerly awaiting young. He waits to catch
the correct combination of light and shadow during the day
and creates scenes for photographs which he first sees in
his mind’s eye. (Photograph below) In a way, working as a
photographer has helped him deal with cancer by making
well-timed decisions. Song is nothing if not a pragmatist. To
him, nothing is irresolvable.
Song noticed his voice changing toward the end of
2002. Treated initially for an infection in the throat, his
symptoms worsened. His family physician recommended a
consultation with a specialist in ear, nose and throat (ENT).
Eventually Song was found to have a growth high up in his
throat. Song had to wait 10 days for the results of the tissue
(biopsy) taken from the growth to know the exact diagnosis.
They were the longest 10 days in his life. While waiting for
the biopsy results, the growth in Song’s throat grew rapidly
and eating was getting difficult. Wrought by worry that
he was going to die a hungry man, Song did what many
others in our society do when desperate for an answer. He
consulted a Chinese sinseh. The sinseh could not tell him
what was wrong with him but instructed him that he had to
stay off all kinds of food His weight started dropping rapidly
due to a combination of his cancer and food taboos he was
observing.
By the time he went back for his biopsy result, his ENT
doctor was shocked to see how big the growth had become.
The doctor broke the news to Song that he had cancer of
the throat (nasopharyngeal carcinoma). Distraught upon
hearing this, he immediately questioned the unfairness of it
all. Why him? He had lived life as a good person and fulfilled
his roles as best he could. What had he done wrong?
Song was still reeling in shock when his doctor launched
into treatment plans. Realising the urgency of his situation,
he forced his thoughts back to the present and listened to
how his doctor planned to remove the cancerous growth.
Growing high up in throat behind his nose, his doctor
explained that access to remove the cancer would be
difficult. He gave vivid details of how he would split open
Song’s lower jaw bone. A weaker person would have baulked
and bolted. Song knew this was no time to be squeamish.
He signed up for the surgery before he walked out of the
doctor’s room. Such stoicism, control and decisiveness are
incredible. Looking back, Song relates his decisiveness to his
profession. After all, in photography, one must be quick to
capture details or the moment is gone.
When he went home and broke the news to his family, they
were expectedly shocked but also upset that he had made
the decision for such radical surgery on his own. This is
perhaps an unsurprising reaction in our society which has
a tendency to view important health decisions as those
belonging to the family. His second daughter insisted that a
second medical opinion be sought and promptly took Song
to another ENT doctor. By now, Song had problems opening
his mouth without evoking a negative response from people
around him. The cancerous growth was breaking down and
the smell was intolerable. The second ENT doctor proposed
to first shrink the growth through a series of chemotherapy
injections. Given an alternative to radical surgery, Song and
his family opted for this second option. Within days of the
injections, the growth ‘melted away like ice-cream’. Both he
and the ENT doctor were overjoyed at his response. Song was
elated to know that he would no longer need an operation.
In his own words, “Even better than striking lottery!”
He continued the injections for about 6 months before he
was pronounced disease-free. Don’t get him wrong – it was
not smooth going all the way. He suffered unbearable chills
after the injections and later on in the treatment, the doctors
had trouble finding suitable veins in his arms to give the
injections. His sense of smell altered - he found fish revolting.
He wilted away because of food taboos. Finally he came to
his senses that starving his body of nutritious foods was no
way to fight cancer. If anything, his weakened body would
9
make him succumb to cancer. Thus, he made a decision to
forego the food taboos. Laksa had never tasted better. Now
he truly understood the Chinese saying that “to be able to
 eat is luck”. He had to keep his outside food forays a secret
from his wife as she insisted that the food taboos be strictly
adhered to. He would eat outside secretly, but ensured that
he still “kept some space in my stomach to eat the food she
cooked for me,” he confided with a twinkle in his eyes. Such A SURVIVOR’S STORY
was his appreciation for his wife and respect for her health
beliefs. He believes that his relinquishing of food taboos
was one of the things which helped save his life. Song
gained 5 kilograms despite undergoing chemotherapy
injections and started to regain his strength. The doctor
was so astounded; he thought they had mixed up Song’s
records with that of another patient!

Instead of wallowing in self-pity, throughout the cancer

treatment when he felt too weak for any physical activity,
he taught himself digital photography - his newfound
passion. Two years after completing treatment, he was
ascending Mount Kinabalu with fellow shutterbugs to
capture more breathtaking photos.

How does battling cancer change a person? Song believes

that it makes you stronger. It forces you to re-evaluate your
life and prioritise. It makes you see things in perspective. It
makes everything unimportant and important at the same
time. It weeds out the real friends from fair-weathered
ones. It galvanizes families and strengthens ties.

Despite having had cancer, he considers himself one lucky

man. Lucky because he has a second chance at life. Lucky
because he can watch his grandchildren grow. Talking to
this inspiring man, one cannot help but believe that luck is
only part of the equation. His positive outlook served him
well. Song faced adversity with optimism, mental strength,
creativity, willingness to change and retained a sense of
humour. The social support from his family and friends
provided a safety net to face the challenges. Song believes Vignette of Song Jin Tek
that a supportive family is critical. A strong-willed daughter
who would not allow her father anything less is definitely “I did not learn photography from anyone in particular. Everyone was
another. Everyday is now a blessing. my teacher. I am naturally curious.” Song Jin Tek

How does he do his bit to help others who are not so
fortunate? Every year he makes it a point to take part in Relay
for Life, an awareness and fund-raising event organised
by the Penang Branch of the National Cancer Society of
Malaysia. He walks with other cancer survivors for a good
cause. Song, with his faithful camera slung around him has
become a regular feature in Relay for Life. This year, Relay
for Life took place at the Penang Youth Park from the 14 to
15 March. During this event, teams of people took turns to
‘relay’ by walking throughout the night. The event took on
a carnival-like atmosphere with many people even pitching
tents with family and friends. Relay for Life represents the
ongoing battle against cancer where family and other
social support are needed. More information on Relay for
Life is available at www.relayforlife.org.my
What was the most important thing that helped him survive
cancer? “Seeking treatment early and getting appropriate
treatment is critical.” He believes western medicine is the
10 answer for cancer treatment because it is sophisticated
and proven compared with traditional medicine. And
so Song lives to tell his story. Looks like this Song is not
quite ready for his swan song just yet. Song Jin Tek was
born in Penang in 1938. Before working as a professional
commercial photographer, Song worked briefly as a waiter
and from aged 18 - 21, joined the police field force battling
communist insurgency in Hulu Langat, Selangor. He was
dismissed from the police field force together with 10 others
for “indiscipline” – they decided to take matters into their
own hands when one of their comrades were beaten up by
some villagers. He found a passion for photography and in
the 1980s opened his own photography studio specializing
in commercial photography. In the 1980s he was one of, if
not the first commercial photographer based in Penang.
With 30 years experience as a photographer and numerous
international awards under his belt, he still pursues the next
shot with great excitement and anticipation. He is a guiding
light to photography enthusiasts. Having no less than 1000
acceptances in international photography competitions
he is described as an avid all round photographer, Song
started as an amateur and graduated to status of successful
advertising and commercial photographer. Well-versed
in photographic and dark room techniques, Song was
ranked 10th in 1984 in the colour slide division of the
Photography Society of America and 9th position in
1990 in the overseas photographer division. Between
1984 and 1990 he was ranked seven times by the
Photography Society of America.

STORY FROM THE BEDSIDE
Priveetha
Priveetha and
and
herher grandmother
grandmother
My grandmother’s name is Mathavi. She was 79 years old.
She had been sick for 17 years and bed-ridden for 6 years
5 months. She used a tube to eat and drink. She could not
swallow so she took Jevity a type of nutritious milk specially
for people like her. She was not able to talk and walk.
She stayed in her room on a bed that can be wound up
or down most of the time. At 5.00pm in the evening, my
grandfather and uncle would carry her out to the living
room and sit her on the sofa. Then they would feed her.
On 12 December 2008, my very precious grandmother
passed away at 3.10pm. I came back from tuition at 3.30pm
and saw my precious grandmother on the bed. I cried the
whole evening. She had suffered a lot and could not take it
further. I still miss my grandmother.
OUR EXPERIENCE WITH
HOSPICE
by Law Chuet Lean and Kho Kok Kyan
We are trainees from University Tunku Abdul Rahman. We
have been attached to Rumah Hospis since 5 January 2009.
We really thank Dato Seri Dr T Devaraj, the CEO/Medical
Director of Rumah Hospis Pulau Pinang for giving us the
opportunity to do our attachment there.
The reason we chose Rumah Hospis as place of training is
because we hope to be able to provide social support to
cancer patients. Besides that, we are able to learn how to
apply our counseling skills in real life setting. Chitra was
the first one who explained the background and services
provided by the National Cancer Society of Malaysia,
Penang Branch. Chitra also introduced to us “Relay For Life”,
an annual cancer awareness campaign run by the Society.
We met Dato’ Seri Dr T Devarajo and discussed the
objectives of our training. We were then allowed to follow
the Palliative Care Nurses on their home visits to patients
admitted in the hospice at Home Programme. The nurses
taught us a lot. On our way to patients’ homes, the nurses
shared information about the patients we were visiting,
their condition and their social support needs in order
for us to understand and communicate with the patients
more effectively. Through the few home visit experiences,
we realized that social support is also important for cancer
patients. It is because there are positive relationships
between the social support and spirit of patients to fight
cancer. After few home visits, Nurse Krishna allowed us
to have a counseling session with one of her patients. We
completed the session with help and advice from Krishna.
We were glad that we were able to apply our counseling
skills in real life setting.
Besides visiting patients in their homes, we were also
actively involved with organizing the “Relay For Life” event
in March. Our duties included helping to put together
cancer awareness materials and distribution of t-shirts for
Relay participants and helping out at the Cancer/Relay
talks given at various organizations.
In addition to these we also helped to update the
participants’ database, recording all information such as
their names, organizations, t-shirt sizes, registration fees
and donations collected.
We were also part of the Entertainment Committee of Relay
and were put in charge of games, music, activities and the
variety show. We helped to make sure that everything
ran properly as planned. Even though it was a tiring job,
we enjoyed every moment during “Relay For Life”. It is a
meaningful event and we are happy that we were able to
contribute towards its success.
We gained a lot of knowledge during this period. Besides
that, the hospice staff and volunteers treated us well and
were willing to teach us and advise us.
Law Chuet Lean manning an exhibition
booth at Sentral College
11
11
Kho Kok Kyan at relay
If undelivered, please return to: HOSPICE BULLETIN, Rumah Hospis Pulau Pinang, 250A Jalan Air Itam, 10460 Penang, Malaysia
BAYARAN POS JELAS
POSTAGE PAID
PEJABAT POS BESAR
PULAU PINANG

published by | NATIONAL CANCER SOCIETY OF MALAYSIA, PENANG BRANCH designed sponsored by | INTACT COMMUNICATIONS 133 Hutton Lane, 10050 Penang
MALAYSIA
NO. LESEN 041
WISH LIST
WAYS YOU CAN HELP US...
DONATE CASH
We welcome all levels of donation, whether it’s a one-
time gift or a monthly donation.
For more information, call 04-228 4140. Tax exempt
receipt will be issued for donations of RM50 and above.
Please make cheques payable to:
National Cancer Society of Malaysia, Penang Branch
DONATIONS IN KIND

printed by | PRACTICAL PRINTERS SDN BHD 70 & 72, Jalan Perusahaan Jelutong Satu, 11600 Penang
• Storage cabins (to store medical equipment)
• Sundries & domestic items
• Wheel chairs with head and neck support
• Oxygen concentrator
• Syringe drivers
• Sheepskin rugs
• Ripple mattresses
• DVD player (for cancer exhibitions)
• Lawn mower
ADMINISTRATIVE ITEMS
• Mobile phones
(for nurses providing care for patients at home)
• Computers
• Printers
VOLUNTEERING
Volunteer your time and talent. Volunteering is a great
way to help. We invite you to share your time, talents and
resources to help us at Cancer Awareness campaigns
and Fundraising events.
[ ] Change of address [ ] Remove from mailing list (please tick where appropriate)
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Please send/fax this to:
Rumah Hospis Pulau Pinang, 250A Jalan Air Itam, 10460 Penang, Malaysia Tel: 604-228 4140 Fax: 604-226 4676 Email: ncsmpg@streamyx.com / ncsmpg@gmail.com