Cheery Rohana Hussin who survived cancer twice is on a mission to help other women get smart about the disease.

Six years ago, as Rohana Hussein performed her customary breast self-examination, she encountered a marble-sized lump in her right breast. Life was good until she found that she had breast cancer in 2003. When she was diagnosed with the same disease again two years later, she decided to let go of her own event management company and concentrate on less taxing endeavours. “I first entered NCSM to do a bone scan soon after my first cancer diagnosis. The reason I’m volunteering is to give back to society. If cancer doesn’t kill you, then you’d feel a need to help others in the same situation. It makes you feel different about the things you took for granted before,” adds Rohana.

CURBING THE CANCER CRISIS
Officially launched in 1966 by Tun Abdul Razak, NCSM is the oldest cancer society established in Malaysia. A small team and volunteers help run NCSM which offers a complete range of cancer-related services that benefit everyone, not only cancer patients and survivors. The group also reaches out to communities like the orang asli who have not been exposed to any information about cancer. Far from being just a jaunt for the members, it plays a role in spreading awareness among the community.

RELAYING A MESSAGE
“It would be great if organisations can sponsor their staff or subsidise those who cannot afford to pay for themselves,” she explains. “At the end of the day,” she continues, “there are three things that we need to remember about cancer. Firstly, we need to realise that cancer can strike anyone,” says Rohana. The second thing people need to remember, Rohana points out, is that cancer does not equal death. Last but not least, early detection saves lives. Breast cancer at stage one has a 98 per cent survival rate. At stage four, chances of survival is very slim. “If you have cancer, do not despair as you are not alone; we are here to support you,” concludes Rohana.