TheBraveMaeveStory
Once, in the middle of the night, Maeve Low and her mother
Joanne Poon leopard-crawled into the hospital, crouching
behind chairs and hiding behind pillars.
It was all part of the Brave Maeve story Joanne created for
her daughter to help the then-three-year-old understand her
diagnosis and treatment of Burkitt’s Lymphoma, a rare and
aggressive form of cancer that affects the digestive system.
In the story, Maeve is a warrior princess who has a poisonous
stone growing inside her. To defeat the stone, brave soldiers
had to fight the evil ones, which sometimesmade funny things
happen to Maeve-her hair fell out, and her favourite foods
tasted strange.
“Maevewasgoing through thisprincess stagewhere she loved
wearing tiaras and every skirt had to spin,” says Joanne. So
Maevewould go to chemotherapywearing a tiara and carrying
a princess sceptre, while Joanne and her husband would
decorate the two IV poles by her side.
AFather’s Love
Every time his son Jarenn Foo was admitted to hospital, Zaric
Foowouldpacka suitcaseandmove into theKKWomen’sand
Children’sHospital with him.
He would sleep on a sofa bed next to Jarenn, showering and
taking all hismeals in hospital, only going home for a fresh set
of clothes during theweekends.
Inawardof childrenand theirmothers, Zaricwas theonlymale
caregiver, a fact he initially foundunsettling. “At first Iwondered
what would people think of me,” he says.
Zaric’s concerns were quickly replaced by the daily battle
against his son’s leukaemia, whichwas punctuated bymultiple
near-death experiences.
Once, Jarenn experienced two seizures in a single night, then
lost his vision for three days as his brain had swelled due to
chemotherapy. Another time, a lung infection put Jarenn in
hospital for a 51-day stretch, where Zaric was by his side,
changing diapers every day for his bedridden son.
But father and son grew closer during these challenging times,
spending virtually everywakingminute together.
“Since my father was always beside me, we talked a lot and
shared a lot of things. He was always beside me when I was
struggling,” says Jarenn, now (age) and pursuing diploma
studies inBaking andCulinary Science at thePolytechnic.
And Zaric, whowas once painfully shy, found his voice to help
other parents copewith their child’s cancer.
“When I first found out about Jarenn’s diagnosis, I feared the
worst because I had a lack of information. I only understood
that cancer was curable once I talked to the doctors and learnt
more about it. In the ward, I wanted to share this information
with other caregivers,” says Zaric.
Although Jarenn’s cancer is behind him now, the duo remain
close, shaving their heads together in support of Hair for Hope,
and appreciating every day they have.
Zaric says, “We take things very easy now. Nothing is as
important and dear as each of our familymembers.”
Later theBraveMaevestorywouldbe translated intooverseven
languages and shipped to other children-related organisations
inmore than 14 countries all over theworld.
While Joanne’s Brave Maeve story had helped her daughter
cope, the drama teacher relied on a support network that
included family, friends and ex-students. They ran errands,
performed for Maeve on her birthday, and delivered her
favourite home-cooked food such as fried chicken.
“Maeve didn’t eat a day of hospital food,” says Joanne, who
now advises other caregivers that it is alright to ask for help
when you need it.
Sheadds: “Theexperienceof caring for a childwith cancer can
be isolating. You are already going through somuch, and you
don’t need to do everything alone.”
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