Tuesday, April 25, 2006

Joan, The Brave Fighter

My hearfelt prayers went to Joan Chan when I read the Sunday papers about her plight. In 2004, this bubbly, spunky, doe-eyed former Raffles Girls' School (RGS) and Raffles Junior College (RJC) student was struck with Stage IV tongue cancer. Words from Joan herself upon knowing about her cancer: " I will not go quietly into the night. I'm not going to let cancer have its way so easily. If I'm going down, I'm not leaving without a fight." Joan's one wish is to beat the debilitating condition and then attend university, a place at the National University of Singapore's architecture faculty but as for now all her study plans were derailed due to the cancer. The cancer, which has spread throughout her neck and face has also affected her spinal cord and even holding her head up has become a challenge. Doctors has given Joan just a few weeks to three months more to live! Joan wrote in her blog on March 22, which was also her last entry "I just want to say my dear friends, I am prepared for the worst." Joan's friends and family have been keeping vigil at her bedside battling the final stages of her tongue cancer. Her alma mater was so moved by her cancer striken plight that it raised S$130,000 for her medical treatment! Joan is currently resting in the comfort of her home, with family, close friends and her cat, eddie.She is no longer on any medication for cancer, but requires painkillers and occassionally uses a respirator to aid breathing.Her doctor visits her regularly, and so do her priests. Please continue to pray for her! May God bless Joan with courage and strength to fight the battle courageously to the end!
Here's the link to Joan's blog set up by her friends: http://joanchanshufang.blogspot.com/

3 comments:

Tazz said...

I have read abt her on the paper. A very sad case. I think tongue cancer is a very aggressive and fatal disease. Few years back, there was a case in which a young guy died of tongue caner, his mother committed suicide shortly after his demise. :(

Solo said...

Those pple who think their life is miserable and tough should read about this and re-think about the idea...

BoZoGEMOK said...

Solo, you are very right! We're all so fortunate and yet we complained and grumbled alot and even making comparisons!! Indeed, we're taking our lives for granted!