Name: Lee Poh Gaik 李宝玉 Age: 48 Condition: Cervical Cancer and Diabetes. Links: – Donor List

This is a sad story of Lee Poh Gaik who have gone through a series of never ending unfortunate events. The couple comes from one of the suburban area of Penang, struggling with poverty as well as sicknesses. Lee Poh Gaik, at the age of fourty-eight, is suffering from both cervical cancer and diabetes. She is unable to walk and is forced to sit on a chair for long term. Also, her vision is deteriorating due to diabetes. Her right fingers had been amputated and her left hand is full of needle marks. Her husband is responsible for all her daily routine yet he himself is suffering from oral cancer. In order to be able to take good care of Lee, her husband refuses to seek medical treatment. This resulted in gradual growth of his jaw tumor and is causing his lower teeth to fall out. Her husband too had resigned from his job as a lorry driver three years ago in order to take care of Lee. He explained that he was afraid that no one would take good care of his wife and thus, insisted to do it on his own to ensure the best treatment for his beloved wife.

The couple raised three children in which their eldest daughter and their second son are now working and capable to lessen the family’s burden. The youngest daughter is currently studying in Form 4. Lee said that she was working as a cinema ticket inspector but became unemployed after the cinema had been closed down. Subsequently, she worked in one of those electronics factories before she was diagnosed with cancer in 2003. Additionally, Lee has been haunted by diabetes and hypertension since twenty years ago. She has to consume long-term medication.

Within the next 3 years, the doctor from Penang General Hospital had performed a surgery on her but Lee has not recovered from cervical cancer. What make it worse is that Lee has suffered even more serious diabetes and she has to go through dialysis thrice per week. As such, Lee has to pay RM1000 for dialysis fee per month and another RM 1000 for drug injection and diapers expenses. Lee also needs to pay RM600 per month for anti-anemic. Lee exclaimed that this is a heavy burden for the family to pay out such medical expenses as both her husband and she are unemployed. They might even consider requesting their youngest daughter to quit schooling to reduce financial burden.

Yayasan Nanyang Press, hereby, urges all readers to give them a helping hand. Supporting readers can contact Yayasan Nanyang Press for donations.