A Malaysian woman urges women to prioritise their health and financial independence after sharing a breast cancer patient’s experience
A MALAYSIAN woman has urged women to take greater responsibility for their health and financial independence after sharing the story of a breast cancer patient whose condition allegedly worsened after she chose not to undergo a recommended mastectomy.
In a social media post, the woman said the patient had been diagnosed with breast cancer and advised by her doctor to undergo a mastectomy as part of her treatment.
However, she claimed the patient’s husband did not agree to the surgery, and the woman subsequently followed his decision and sought alternative treatment in a village for more than a year.
According to the post, the patient’s condition continued to deteriorate, with the cancer eventually progressing to Stage 4.
The woman later returned to hospital, but by then the cancer had reportedly spread to other parts of her body. She was subsequently advised to take medication to manage her condition for the remainder of her life.
“Death is indeed in the hands of God, but what options or efforts do we take to recover?” the woman wrote.
Sharing her own experience of undergoing treatment for a lump, she said she would not allow anyone else to make decisions about her healthcare.
“When I had my lump removed recently, I knew that if my husband had said no, I would not have followed his decision.
“I am ready to fight tooth and nail for myself. I have ‘darah pendekar’ (a warrior’s blood). My health is my responsibility. I will make my own decision about whether or not to proceed with treatment,” she said.
She also highlighted the importance of financial independence, particularly for women, saying having their own income could give them greater control over personal decisions.
She recalled another woman telling her that her husband did not allow her to get a medical card for herself.
“I asked her, ‘Do you want it for yourself?’ She asked me back, ‘Whose money am I going to use to pay for it?’” she wrote.
The woman ended her post with a message encouraging women to have financial independence and take ownership of important decisions concerning their lives.
“If you have your own money, make your own decisions,” she said.
