Joan Chen

Woke up and saw the newspapers on Sunday and i devote my hour to writing about the fight of this girl, who's probably just like anyone of us in university, Joan Chen. Her story is featured in the Lifestyle section of the papers on Sunday, April 23, pages 6-7.

The story: Joan was in her second year of RJC last year when she discovered an ulcer on her tongue, but due to incoming examinations, she shrugged it off. It proved to be a serious mistake as the cancer was found to be Stage IV (malignant), one stage away from terminal cancer. Once this happens, the cancer metastasizes, i.e. spreads to the whole body and "there is no chance of a cure" as what her doctor said.

That was last christmas. Now, the fight is still going on, but around March 15 Joan called the ST (who then ran this story) saying that "she was no longer responding to chemotherapy" and that her only hope was medication, which was expensive and didn't help much. Immediately people from RGS/RJC and others help raised a total of $130k for her treatment.

There came a close call last week during Easter when she was rushed to hospital following breathing problems and that the doctor said "she was going to go either on Saturday or Sunday", and that her friends were told to get a funeral dress for her. However she survived Easter.

The moment i finished reading the two pages of this article, tears welled up in my eyes (not too much) and i asked, Why? She's a 20-year old with a good future - excellent CCA records and studies, as well as a place in NUS architecture. Why should her life end at this moment of her glory? So unfair. Life was never fair.

I admire her spirit, as what she wrote in her blog:

I have always been a fighter. Whenever i have a problem, i do not whine about it nor do i cry. Instead, i think of the best way to tackle the problem and put the solution into action.

I am a firm believer of the notion that as long as i try hard enough, nothing is impossible.

...If cancer wants a fight, i will take it on any time, any day...

http://www.funkygrad.com/think/displayarticle.php?artID=505&subcat=shout

And i compare it with my situation when i discovered the tumor in my brain. Same thing - cancer. But as compared to her, where did my courage went? I kept whining about the pain and not believing in reality, thinking that the whole thing was a simulated joke or something, and never knowing the graveness of the situation, that there was a chance that i may go myself once i step into the operating theatre.

Somehow, that all seemed so minor... I thank god that i'm alive and still kicking, having the time of my life, with all my wonderful friends and university life, and pursuing my dreams of being a pharmacist now.

I checked her blog, http://www.onlyskindeep.blogspot.com/. It is like this blog, like any other teenager's blog. Her fighting spirit is still going strong, all her friends are still rooting for her to go on. Among her wishlist: to get well.

I want to take this opporturnity to wish all of my friends to take good care of themselves, really take good care of yourselves. Sometimes health is a godsend that we take for granted, like what i discovered when i got sick a week before the exams. Appreciate and cherish your good health.
And take a moment, stop and glance around at the world, to help those with poorer health, do not abandon them in their times of need and suffering, to let them know that someone cares for them.

I also hope that for Joan, no matter what circumstances are to be presented in the following weeks/months, that somehow her fighting spirit perseveres, and she will "officially turn from cancer patient to cancer survivor". May God bless you.