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WhenAssociate Professor ChanMei Yokewas
a junior doctor, shemet a young cancer patient
whomshe thoughtwouldnotmake it.Hewasso
frail andsmall, she recalls, tooweak toevencry.
But years later, she ran intohimunexpectedlyat
thebloodbank.
“It was so nice to see him well again, after all
the traumatic times,” saysProf Chan, who is the
Head and Senior Consultant of KK Women’s
and Children’s Hospital’s (KKH) Haematology
andOncologyService.
This long-term relationship with her patients is
among the reasonsshewasdrawn topaediatric
oncology, says Prof Chan, who enjoys the
innocenceandpositivenatureof children.
“Childrenhandleadversitymuchbetter than
adults. People sometimes ask how children
in thepaediatricward canbe sohappy even
with cancer. It’s because they live in the
moment, and don’t worry about things that
might ormight not come,”shesays.
Onesuch formerpatientwas19-year-oldJarenn
Foo, whomProf Chan cared forwhilehebattled
leukaemia in 2009 and 2010. The duo were
reunited at Hair for Hope 2016 satellite event at
KKH.
“IrememberJarennwellbecauseheexperienced
very bad side-effects from the treatment, but
he was still very positive. It’s very nice to see
patientswhoarenotdefeatedby theircondition,”
says Prof Chan, who shaved her head for the
first time in2016.
While many have applauded her bravery for
going under the razor, Prof Chan says the real
braveones areher patients, theoneswhodon’t
have a choice. Indeed, when she visited the
paediatriconcologyward toshow themhernewly
shavenhead, the childrenwerenonchalant.
“Theywere like, what’s thebigdeal?We’rebald
too,” she says, laughing. Perhaps this is what
she means by innocence, which is what she
likesbest about the job.
TheChildren’sDoctor
Humans
of
CCF
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When seven-year-oldTerryGohWei Jiehad to
undergochemotherapy forBurkitt’sLymphoma,
he struggled so hard every time a needle had
to be inserted that it took up to ten people,
includingdoctors, nurses andhismother Irene,
to hold him down.
“Hewould screamand cry, shouting I hate you,
this is all your fault,” recounts Irene, who was
forced toplay thebadcop. “Iwould tell him, you
can stop crying and save your breath because
wewill still need to insert the needle,” says the
housewife.
Yetwhen thechemotherapywasover andTerry
had calmeddown, healwayshadahugandan
apology for his mother. Somehow, through the
tears, tantrums and chemotherapy treatments
that hehated, Terry understood that hismother
had his best interests at heart.
Indeed, it was Irene who first noticed a lump
on the right side of Terry’s neck when he was
in primary one. The family shuttled between
polyclinics and hospitals on referrals and for
checkups, but by the timeTerrywasdiagnosed,
doctorsat KKWomen’sandChildren’sHospital
told the family that Terry’s lump was too large
to remove via an operation. He would have to
undergo chemotherapy.
But between treatments, Terry is a typical
primaryoneboywhose favourite colour isblue.
He likespeachesandBurgerKing’sonion rings
and loves superheroes such asTheAvengers.
Terry isaboyof fewwords. Thingshedoesnot
like include hospital visits and chemotherapy
which he describes as “boring”. A CCF staff
asks Terry: “Is there anything youwould like to
say tomummy anddaddy now?”
“I have no idea at all,” says Terry cherubically,
runninghis tonguealong freshly-sproutedadult
teeth.
Then, without warning, he flies out of his chair
and into a hug with his mother, nuzzling her
shoulder until shegently returnshim tohisseat.
Perhaps he doesn’t need a lot of words to
express his gratitude -mummy already knows.
Mother knowsbest
Humans
of
CCF
#
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