Defying the odds with care and love

Anyone who has taken care of someone, whether it’s a young child with a high fever or an adult recovering from surgery, knows how tough the situation can be for both the caregiver and for the person who is ill.

However, when a person’s illness is life-threatening and unrelenting, caregiving can be all-consuming and become the central, and often sole facet of the caregiver’s identity. 

The lives of Madam Liew Fei Yan, 48 and her husband Mr Wong Peng Chin, 51, changed significantly when Madam Liew was diagnosed with cancer, but the support they received and provided to one another helped them get through it.

 

 

In October 2018, Madam Liew experienced persistent abdominal bloating over several weeks. Realising that something was amiss, Madam Liew decided to seek medical attention at the polyclinic. Madam Liew was referred to National Cancer Centre Singapore (NCCS), where she underwent a CT scan that revealed a large 30cm intra-abdominal tumour that was wrapped around her vital organs, such as her right kidney, and major blood vessels.

Biopsy results diagnosed the tumour as advanced retroperitoneal sarcoma, one of the deadlier forms of soft tissue sarcoma, with an average 5-year survival rate of about 20%.

“When the news sunk in, she broke down. I was equally shattered but had to hold in my emotions because I knew I had to stay strong for her,” recalled Mr Wong who was with her when she received the diagnosis. 

Madam Liew, who was working as a factory operator, had to stop work while she underwent treatment.  Similarly, Mr Wong, an air conditioning technician, went on no pay leave to focus on caring for his wife. He also took charge of all the household chores and attended to the needs of their two teenage sons. 

As the tumour was inoperable due to its large size, Madam Liew started the first of 28 sessions of radiotherapy to shrink it in November 2018.  She experienced side effects such as nausea, vomiting and loss of appetite.

“It was hard to watch because she lost a lot of weight and became very frail. I was afraid but had to be brave for her and the children,” confessed Mr Wong.

Even eating and drinking was difficult. Madam Liew was unable to stomach most food and would often throw up after eating. Undeterred, Mr Wong continued to prepare nutritious meals for her and accompanied her for all the treatments.

“The side effects I experienced made me feel depressed. I began to question why this was happening to me. I was an emotional wreck but my husband and family’s support kept my morale up.  My husband, helped to coax me out of depressing thoughts and reassured me when I was feeling stressed,” shared Madam Liew. 

“As a caregiver I came round to understand that it’s okay to ask for and accept help. I’m so grateful that our families, colleagues, and friends reached out to help us through that challenging period. Even simple things made a difference – a call to check if we needed anything or someone offering to cover our duties at work,” said Mr Wong. 

In late 2020, the team from the Department of Sarcoma, Peritoneral and Rare Tumours (SPRinT) at NCCS evaluated that Madam Liew was a good candidate for extended retroperitoneal sarcoma resection, a complex surgery that involves the removal of organs and affected areas. After Madam Liew’s surgeon explained the potential risks and benefits, the couple decided to proceed as they trusted the dedicated multidisciplinary team’s assessment. In October 2020, the SPRinT team, in collaboration with the Urology, Vascular and Hepatopancreatobiliary and Transplant surgical teams successfully performed the eight-hour long surgery which involved the the removal of the tumour and Madam Liew’s right kidney, as well as resection of the colon and small intestines. 

Two years on, Madam Liew is well. She returned to work in early 2022 and now only has follow-up checks at NCCS.

 

 

The couple and their two sons hope to spend more time together travelling.

 

“As cliché as it sounds, I think the most important thing, for a caregiver and patient, is to always keep hope alive. Stay positive, follow your doctor’s advice, and do not skip your treatments and medication,” said Mr Wong.