Congratulations to Datuk Dr. T. Devaraj for being listed in the World Medical Association’s 100 Caring Physicians of the World. He is the Chairman of the Penang Hospice Society and the Vice-Chairman of the National Cancer Society of Malaysia, Penang Branch. His work with cancer patients is truly selfless and commendable. This recognition is well-deserved. His contribution to both organisations and his compassion to those under his care is altruism at its highest level. In her last days, Mum had the privilege to be under his care. He was gentle, soft-spoken and reassuring. I am sure she was consoled by his kind words. I was. Well done Dr. Devaraj! God bless you.

The following is the article in today’s The Star:

Doctor does country proud Malaysian recognised as a caring physician

ALOR STAR: Datuk Dr T. P. Devaraj has done Malaysia proud. He is the first and only Malaysian to be listed in the World Medical Association’s 100 Caring Physicians of the World.

Although there is an allocation for 100 personalities, recognition was given to only 65 physicians from 55 countries.

A panel of judges selected physicians who have demonstrated humanity and the core values of medicine in performing their duties based on nominations submitted by national medical associations.

Penang Medical Association chairman Dr Goh Eng Leong said such recognition was a great honour to the medical fraternity here.

The Malaysian Medical Association recently held a ceremony at the Penang Club to celebrate Dr Devaraj’s achievement.

Dr Devaraj is known for his charitable work in aid of cancer patients.

He is the Penang Hospice chairman, and National Cancer Society of Malaysia branch vice-chairman.

World Medical Association (WMA) immediate past president Dr Yank Coble, who initiated the Caring Physician initiative, expressed hope that the physicians’ remarkable stories would help restore pride, passion, enthusiasm and optimism among the medical practitioners.

The book was launched in Santiago, Chile, on Oct 12 during the WMA annual assembly.

Physicians profiled in the book include Mamphela Ramphele of South Africa who was imprisoned for her anti-apartheid political activities, John Awoonor-Williams from Ghana for single-handedly serving a vast remote region and Valentin Pokrovsky for being the first in Russia to instil awareness on HIV infection and AIDS.

Also included in the book are Sister Lucia Yu from Korea who spent more than two decades in Kenya to attend to patients suffering from malaria and tuberculosis and Nanshan Zhong who played a vital role during the Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome (SARS) outbreak in China in 2002.

The book was published with the support of the Pfizer Medical Humanities Initiative.

Related entry:
Malaysian Medical Resources - Caring Physicians of the World

Rumah Hospis, Penang.

Relay For Life 2006 will be launched on November 19, 2006 at 4:00pm. The official launching will be done by YB Dato’ Dr Toh Kin Woon and it will be held in Rumah Hospis. Cancer awareness, prevention, early detection and palliative care is one cause that is close to my heart, having lost Mum to leukeamia. I have so often heard from friends who have loved ones or friends suffering from cancer, some succumbing to it.

We can help them fight this by giving them the support they need, whether by donating to causes that help them, or giving our time and effort in assisting organisations that are helping them. Helping the Penang Hospice provide them palliative care is one of the things we can do. We can also show our support by participating in the Relay For Life. This is one event that is now being celebrated worldwide to promote cancer awareness, among others. The following is the blurb from the National Cancer Society of Malaysia, Penang Branch:

Relay For Life arose in 1985 hen a volunteer of the American Cancer Society (ACS), Dr. Gordon Klatt, decided to jog around a “padang” in Tacoma, Washington soon after a friend of his died of cancer. As he ran others joined him, donations were made at the end of the twenty-four hours. Donations to the ACS amounted to USD27,000. This was then adopted by the ACS as a programme to increase awareness of cancer and its control,to celebrate survivors, remember those who had died and to raise funds or the fight against cancer including the research.

Malaysia was the 18th country in the world to join in the American Cancer Society’s signature event when the National Cancer Society of Malaysia, Penang Branch was awarded the license to run Relay For Life. Relay For Life – Fighting Cancer Together was held for the first time in the country at Taman Perbandaran Pulau Pinang in March 2005. Hundreds of people came forward to walk or run through the night in solidarity with those having cancer, to honour the many survivors and remember those who had lost their lives.

Leading to the success of the first event in 2005 the Society will continue to step up efforts to increase public knowledge of cancer – its causes, stepping up prevention or early detection, proper treatment and support care for all cancer patients.

Through this campaign we also hope to reduce the stigma associated with cancer. It will also be an opportunity to highlight the fact that there are many survivors of cancer in the country, which in turn will have a positive impact on the current wholly negative perception of cancer.

From 19 November 2005, we will recruit teams of ten volunteers who will provide information to the public – family and friends, their neighbourhood or the workplace using flyers and brochures about cancer control. At the same time they will solicit funds for the Society to fight cancer. Other approaches will be by holding talks, exhibitions, a series of articles in the press and spots on radio and TV.

Taking on Relay For Life is a huge undertaking for our Society. We look forward to our members, volunteers, supporters and staff to rise to this challenge. Working together we can help reduce the burden of cancer.

The relay event itself will be from 11 – 12 March 2006 at the Taman Perbandaran Pulau Pinang which is being kindly sponsored by the MPPP. This will be a celebration – with team members walking or running around a “padang” over these two days, a walk by survivors of cancer and a remembrance of all those who fought cancer but in vain as the highlights. It will be a family fun event with music, singing, dances, games and, of course food.

For further information, please contact:
National Cancer Society of Malaysia, Penang Branch
A2.27, KOMTAR, 10000 Pulau Pinang.
Tel: 04-261 4140

Hospice-At-Home Programme / Rumah Hospis Pulau Pinang
250-A, Jalan Air Itam, 10460 Pulau Pinang.
Tel: 04-228 4140

Photos by Wuan.

It was a sunny morning last Saturday. The time had arrived for me to make good my pledge to the Hair For Hospice campaign. Wuan helped me into the barber shop. As soon as Thanabalan the barber turned on the electric shaver, the monotonous whirring sound stabbed me with a deep sense of an impending loss. Finally, the hair that I had came to love and preened for more than three years would be shorn off, bit by bit, until there was none. Images of the times when Mum had lovingly gathered them all together and made a pony tail swirled in my head. That was eight years ago. I had kept it long then but decided to cut it off for reasons I am unable to recall now. This time, I kept it even longer, to remind me of those times. It was coming off, all of it. For a few minutes, as Thanabalan was busy with his shaver on my scalp, I sat there silent and disconsolate. A part of me, my link to the past and to Mum, was being taken away from me, and I willingly allowed it.

Photos by Wuan.

Before long, all of it came off, including the ponytail that was shorn right off my scalp. Wuan held it up. For a moment, she stood there like a victorious headhunter with her prized scalp skinned off the warrior of an enemy tribe. I looked at her blankly. Another chapter of my life had come to a close. The long mane that I had lovingly washed and conditioned and combed has been stripped off me. I felt naked without the flowing hair covering parts of me. Another chapter has begun. I wondered what Mum would have said had she seen me that day.

Photos by Wuan.

Where I sat, there was no mirror, not that I wanted to see how I looked without a headful of hair. It felt weird. It felt cool. It felt light. Thanabalan took out the razor and proceeded to make it a clean shave. The rude scraping sounds as the sharp blade moved against the stubbles made me cringe. The last time I was partially shaved clean was when the neurosurgeon wanted to screw a pair of tongs for the skull traction. It was to release the compression of the fractured spine against the spinal cord. That did not work after seven weeks. I had to undergo surgery to remove the bone fragment and set the displaced vertebras right. My fifth and sixth cervical vertebras were fused together for added stability. The scars were still there after twenty one long years. Those were grim reminders of a time when I was carefree and careless. I reached out to the sides of my head and touched them. The scars were deeper than I had expected.

Photos by Wuan.

Within half and hour, it was all gone, the hair that had been part of me for many years. I looked at Wuan. She smiled back. I touched my now bald head. It was an uncanny sensation. The feeling of loss was even greater but there was also a sense of accomplishment. Surprisingly, I felt contented when Thanabalan made the last shave with the razor; certain that the money raised will be put to good use; certain that a handful of people out there will be able to get the palliative care to ease their momentary sufferings here; certain that Mum would have approved of this and would have encouraged me. That was what I had wanted to do since more than two years ago. I have done it. I am thankful. This is for you Mum!

Photo by Wuan.

For the twenty one years since being disabled, there was never one day I did not wish I could do something more either for myself or for the people around me, especially Mum. I had taken and I have taken. For many people, their lives revolved around me. They made sure my needs and interests were well taken care of.

Now I still have friends who took my well-being into consideration. I am thankful for that. They have sacrificed time, money and effort in making sure I am comfortable whatever my endeavor. As I have so often said, I am blessed. God have been merciful to have sent so many Samaritans along this arduous journey of mine. It was difficult but the many people along the way have made it more interesting. Thank you my dear friends. You know who you are.

In the twenty one years since being disabled, I have never had such a desire to accomplish something as I have done recently. Mum was the reason. Suanie gave me the impetus. Jason got it going when we talked about it in IRC. Four more brave generous souls joined in. This is more than I could have asked for. The Hair For Hospice donation drive has managed to garner RM5,170 in pledges to date. Thank you all for your generosity. And thank you all for allowing me to realize a two-year dream of doing something for the Hospice-At-Home Programme.

Nevertheless, the Hair For Hospice is not purely a donation drive, the other purpose being to create an awareness of the Hospice-At-Home Programme. Terminally ill patients and families of people so afflicted can get help to cope with the nursing and medical care and counseling during such distressing times in the comfort of their own homes, hospitals or nursing homes.

Palliative care is important for people who are fighting the toughest and in all probabilities the final battle of their lives. The core philosophy of the Hospice is that everyone has the right to die relatively pain-free and with dignity. That is what the Penang Hospice has been doing and they have done a good job, providing palliative care to all who need it, regardless of race or religion.

I can attest to that, having been at the receiving and of their selfless generosity during the most painful period of Mum’s and my life. Truly, I would not have known how to cope with the situation had it not been for the Penang Hospice. If there is any one word to describe them, I can only think of angels. They are beyond doubt angels in our midst.

There are many people to thank for giving me the opportunity to realize this dream. I would like to thank Dato Dr. T. Devaraj for giving me the authorization and provided me with the resources to carry this through. This meant the world to me. Thank you to Dr. Oo and Chitra of the Penang Hospice who had also helped me in many ways and I am grateful for their assistance and dedication to this cause. Special thanks go to Palliative Care Nurse Karen Gan who made Mum so comfortable during those final weeks and for helping dress my pressure sore. Please accept my sincerest gratitude. I would not have made it without your help. Thank you.

I would like to thank Jason Tee who got me off with this campaign, I would like to thank Bryan and Sharizal who volunteered to shave along with me. These guys are the greatest! And to Devyne who thought this is the right thing to do and also to dedicate her bald head to her aunt who is undergoing treatment in Singapore for cancer. God bless you and your aunt. And to Jason Lioh, the latest and last addition to the team, thank you for the sacrifice. You are all an inspiration to me. We hardly knew each other and you all stepped up to make a difference to people who need that help most.

Thank you to all bighearted donors who have helped us achieve the target. I can never thank you enough. A big thank you also go out to so many of you who have supported this campaign by promoting it in your blogs, through word of mouth and giving us publicity in the media. You will always be in my prayers. Please do not let this end. I hope those who have money to spare to continue supporting the Penang Hospice-At-Home Programme. They need all the support you can give to help others who need it. Know that your compassion will ease the pain of someone who is struggling to hang on. Giving them the dignity of palliative care is the least we can do for other fellow humans who are walking the last few miles of their lives. I thank you all from the bottom of my heart. God bless.

The Star - October 24, 2005.

Debt of gratitude

As blogging gains popularity in the country, a new trend is fast emerging – blogging for charity. MICHAEL CHEANG talks to disabled blogger Peter Tan about one such effort on his blog.

TWO years ago, they helped ease his dying mother’s final days, and today, wheelchair-bound blogger Peter Tan is expressing his gratitude to the Penang Hospice-At-Home-Programme by sacrificing something he holds dear – his trademark long hair which he has kept for almost three years.

Tan, who is paralysed from the chest down following a diving accident 21 years ago, has pledged to shave his head to raise RM5,000 for the Hospice programme. Hospice helped care for his mother Theresa Lim in 2003 when she was stricken with chronic lymphocytic leukaemia.

Being wheelchair-bound, Tan had trouble caring for her, and Hospice sent a palliative care nurse three days a week during her final month to check on her and provide her with all the medical and nursing care she needed. Those visits made a difference in easing her pain, and also made Tan’s job of caring for his mother a lot easier.

Besides caring for his mother, Hospice’s staff also helped Tan. “I developed a pressure sore on my buttocks from long hours of sitting up tending to mum, and they dressed the sore too,” Tan recalled.

“I am forever grateful to Penang Hospice for coming into our lives at a time when we needed help most. When my mother was still alive, she used to tie my hair into ponytails for me. So it means a lot to me. However, giving away three years of hair will not be sufficient to give back to Hospice what it has given us.

Peter Tan: ‘I am forever grateful to Penang Hospice for coming into our lives at a time when we needed help most.’

“After my mum passed away, I vowed that I would do something for Hospice so that it could help other people who are in the same situation. However, disadvantaged as I am, I could not think of anything else except to shave my head to raise funds for them.”

Tan’s aptly titled Hair for Hospice campaign was announced on his blog, The Digital Awakening (www.petertan.com), earlier this month.

At the time of writing, Hair for Hospice has collected more than 50% of the RM5,000 target, and when the target is reached Tan will not be the only blogger who will be sporting the Kojak look. Four others – including one female blogger – have also pledged to go bald for the cause.

Tan’s effort is just one instance of an emerging trend in the rapidly growing blogging community in Malaysia – blogging for charity.

Through their vast network of blogs (also known as web-logs, or online journals), bloggers in Malaysia have been involved in several charitable activities, one of the most prominent being the worldwide Blogathon event on Aug 6.

On that day, bloggers all over the world stayed up for 24 hours to blog every 30 minutes non-stop to raise money for various charities. In Malaysia, the participants for the Blogathon were widespread and diverse in the charities they were blogging for.

Tan himself was involved with a collaborative blog called Bloggers are Morons, along with five other prominent bloggers, which eventually raised RM5,085.72 for Hospice. Another group of bloggers, which included young author John Ling and freelance writer Yvonne Foong, blogged to raise money for the Eden Handicap Service Centre.

Incidentally, Foong herself is the subject of another blogger charity campaign. Foong, who is a patient of Neurofibromatosis (an illness of the nervous system with no known cure), is raising money for her own medical fund by selling T-shirts through her blog (www.yvonnefoong.com), together with the help of several other bloggers.

To learn more about Tan’s campaign and for more information on how to donate to Hair for Hospice, go to his blog post at www.petertan.com/blog/index.php/2005/10/06/hair-for-hospice.