(from right) Xin Tong's parents and Low showing her photographs and her medication during a press conference on Friday. On the left is bureau committee member Jenny Teo
IPOH: The family of a 22-year-old bone cancer patient is appealing for public donation once more for her treatment expenses.
Production controller Wan Wai Kin, 52, said donations collected from the public last year for her daughter Teh Xin Tong, who was diagnosed with Stage Four sarcoma in 2021, has already been used up.
"The money was spent primarily on her medication and treatment, daycare services and on transportation.
"A year's supply of Nexavar (an oral chemotherapy medicine) itself cost about RM96,000," she said during a press conference held by Perak MCA public services and complaints bureau chief Low Guo Nan here on Friday (April 7).
"Other expenses included ambulance services from here to Kuala Lumpur, special daycare services and her chemotherapy treatment.
"My daughter needed special daycare services because the slightest movement will cause her immense pain, more so after she had an operation last year.
"My husband and I were not skilled enough to move her without causing her too much pain," she said.
"However, the cost for the services, which came to about RM4,000 per month, were too much for us to bear and we stopped after five months and are now hiring the services once a week at RM80 per session," she added.
Wan had in February last year appealed for donations for Xin Tong, a former SMJK Sam Tet student, after having exhausted the family's savings to pay for her treatment in Kuala Lumpur and other related expenses.
And within 24 hours, they managed to get about RM200,000 from generous Malaysians.
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Wan said her daughter no longer needed to travel to Kuala Lumpur for chemotherapy, as the services were now available at the Raja Permaisuri Bainun Hospital.
"She would only need to travel to Kuala Lumpur to do a computed tomography (CT) scan after completing her chemotherapy treatment, which would be about 18 weeks later," she said.
She also said that she was the family's sole breadwinner and earns about RM3,000 a month.
"My 54-year-old husband, Teh Kok Kian, was a former machinist but has stopped work since our daughter was diagnosed to look after her," she said.
Low said the family would need about RM100,000 for Xin Tong's chemotherapy treatment, daycare services, meals and other expenses.
"I have informed the family that this is the second time they are appealing for help and it could be difficult.
"I still hope that people are still generous enough to help the family," he said.
"For the long term, I am appealing to any foundations that would be willing to help them for the long term, as this would be for the best.
"I also understand that their eldest daughter, 24, who got a full scholarship to study abroad, has returned but has yet to secure a job," he said.
"If she can get a job soon, it would lessen the family's financial burden a little," he added.
Those who wish to help can contact Xin Tong's father, Teh Kok Kian, at 018-572 1858.
