Mahiyaa (second from right) with her mother Lavaniyah (on her right) sharing their experience. With them is Dr Chan (far right).
Subang Jaya Medical Centre (SJMC) held a gala dinner to celebrate over 900 successful bone marrow transplants (BMT) performed at the multi-disciplinary tertiary hospital.
The event saw uplifting experiences being shared by survivors, donors, caregivers, and medical teams.
As a part of SJMC’s “Courage Over Cancer” series, the gala became a night filled with inspiring stories, gratitude and commitment to advancements.
SJMC chief executive officer Bryan Lin said: “Tonight, we are celebrating how BMTs have bridged lives.
“SJMC takes pride in being a pioneer by introducing stem cell transplants through the establishment of our blood diseases centre and blood bank.”
Eugene Yap, a 51-year-old patient treated by SJMC consultant haematologist Dr Ng Soo Chin, shared his moving story.
Diagnosed with myelodysplastic syndrome in 2016, Yap experienced a relapse and underwent a haploidentical transplant with his half-matched brother.
BMT patient Goh Yu Xuan (left) and her donor brother Kyden in front of their portraits, with a clown at the foyer exhibition.
“I am looking forward to catching up on lost time with my family, going on a family trip and looking forward to living life again,” said Yap.
Dr Ng said, “While haploidentical BMT is a complex procedure, it offers hope for patients who may not have a perfect match donor.”
Eight-year-old Mahiyaa Bala Jeganath also took the stage with her mother, Lavaniyah Ganapathy and SJMC paediatric haematologist-oncologist Dr Chan Lee Lee.
Mahiyaa was diagnosed with Acute Lymphocytic Leukaemia (ALL) in 2019 and was found to have the high-risk Philadelphia chromosome, requiring chimeric antigen receptor T-cell therapy and an anti-cancer drug to achieve remission.
After undergoing a bone marrow transplant from her four-year-old brother, Mahiyaa celebrated her first year post-transplant mark.
Reflecting on her experience, Mahiyaa said she went through many types of treatment in the past three years.
“Now, I feel brave that I beat cancer.”
The night also featured a video about Beh Bao Yuan, a six-year-old girl who was diagnosed with ALL at the age of four.
She underwent a bone marrow transplant where her nine-year-old sister served as her donor under the care of SJMC paediatric haematologist and oncologist Prof Emeritus Dr Lin Hai Peng.
“After the transplant, she can swim and do the things she loves,” said the girl’s parents.
SJMC haematologist Dr Alan Teh Kee Hean spoke on the latest in BMT technology.
He said advancements in haploidentical transplants now offered outcomes comparable to matched unrelated donor (MUD) transplant.
SJMC then presented mock cheques in aid of several organisations, including the National Cancer Society Malaysia, Faith Hope Love Care Hospice Malaysia and Childhood Cancer Association Malaysia.
The funds will support underprivileged BMT and cancer patients.
Guests were also treated to a lucky draw and live performances that included stand-up comedy by Douglas Lim.
A foyer portrait exhibition showcased eight survivor and donor stories.
