My Fight With Cancer, Marriage And Money Woes May 11, 2007
Posted by Health Mama in : Cancer, Love & Marriage , trackback
I felt the urge to share with you Esther’s true life story that I read this afternoon. I broke down halfway reading through the article. This is a real life story.
It’s hard to believe that this radiant-looking woman suffers from fourth-stage breast cancer and in April 2005 was given only six months to live.
But at the time of our interview Esther Khaw, 44, a mother of two, is still savoring life. She says,” I have learnt to cherish my life. Don’t take your time and people for granted, that’s my humble advice.This illness and other crises in my life have made me a stronger person.”
Money and Marriage Woes
Esther’s problems began in 1995 when she set up a garment shop with a friend. Although she was doing well as an insurance agent, she had to borrow large sums of money for the business. But it didn’t take off, and she found herself owing money to several banks.
At the same time, her 10-year-marriage, which she describes as loving until the, began to turn sour and by the end of 2001, the couple separated. Esther fell into depression.She found herself at a loss with her kids, then five and nine years old. Fortunately, her husband continued to visit the children regularly and a capable maid helped to take care of the boys.
For 18 months, Esther often thought of suicide, but then she picked herself up.”I realized I had to continue to live for myself and my children.” With emotional, financial and spiritual support from friends, her life started changing for the better. She wound up her garment business and returned to what she knew best - selling insurance.”Getting out of depression was the turning point in my life,” she says.
Wanting to help those in the same situation as herself, she began reaching out to single parents and women with failed marriages, offering financial advice. At the same time,to enrich herself spiritually, she enrolled into bible school. Life had new meaning and she felt ready to face whatever challenges would arise.
Cancer and Then Hope
In March 2005, plagued by a persistent cough, rashes, joint aches and lethargy, Esther went for a medical checkup. Results showed she had fourth-stage breast cancer and that it had spread to her liver and bones.”I felt I’d been given a death sentence,”she says.
She refused treatment until one day, while changing, she felt a piece of flesh from her left breast fall off -it was her nipple. It had rotten away and there was a cavity in her left breast, exposing breast tissue. This time she agreed to chemotherapy. Thankfully, her body responded well to it. After the first round, the tumor began to shrink. After three rounds, the cancer cells in her liver and bones shrank to almost undetectable levels. By October 2005,her left nipple had grown back.”I think it’s a miracle,” she says.
Esther completed her sixth and final round of chemo in November and while she’s not out of danger yet,she’s also determined to savor every moment she has. She’s thankful for her faith, good friends and new people she’s met, like the medical social worker who encouraged her from the time she was diagnosed.”They showed me that life is worth living.”
Today, despite the possibility of a relapse, Esther looks nothing at all like a sick people. Her skin is rosy, her eyes are sparkle and her loss of hair is hidden by a lovely wig. She tells us that by sharing her story with us, she hopes to inspire others that no matter how bad things are, life is worth living.
“I almost gave up on myself and my life a long time ago,but I have my faith now and I believe things will get better. Life’s lessons are better learnt through coming out of dealing with sorrows in your life,” she says.
From Esther’s fight with cancer and money woes, I learnt that no matter how bad things are, life is worth living.
How do you feel after reading her story ? I would like to hear from you.
Comments»
Hey Vedis.. I’m a S’porean living in KL. tks for sharing Esther’s story, it indeed reminds me how we often take life for granted and forget to treasure what we have. I do pray that Esther’s story will touch many others. May she be totally delivered from this dreadful disease.
Hi, Doris, I was most shocked by the part about a piece of flesh fall off..Gosh ! Her nipple !..and I couldn’t hold myself..
Life’s short. I just found out that a colleague is dying of cancer. She found out just about 2 mths ago, and it was terminal stage cancer
Gosh..hope she can be treated as there have been so many miracles around.
I honestly think it’s a very inspiring story.
[...] managed to dig out a breast cancer survivor’s story and showed it to my uncle. He was so moved after reading Esther Khaw’s [...]