Help Save My Only Best Friend
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Mohd Salihan Izham or fondly known as Le’an is my best friend. Our paths crossed back in 1995 when we both entered the same high school in southern Peninsular Malaysia. It was a boarding school therefore you are with your friends most days of the year. In 1996, I was introduced to basketball and immediately fell in love with the game. Like any person would do, I asked my best friend if he would join me. It took me a good 6 months of convincing before he finally said yes to follow me down to the court. (I literally would drop by his dorm and invite him to play every day!) Le’an went on to become a great basketball player, competing at district and even national levels. He represented several states in the inaugural PETRONAS Cup (now known as MABA Cup) from 2002, and competed in various other competitions. He is a force quite to be reckoned with.
But life is indeed a roller coaster ride. In December 2006, Le’an was diagnosed with an auto-immune disease called “myasthenia gravis”. This means that the immune system (which normally protects the body from infections) mistakenly attacks itself. The disease attacked his neuron system and muscle reflexes. Symptoms included fatigability on the upper body and lost of control of most of his muscles. Doctors agreed that the thymus gland is thought to be the main source of the abnormal antibodies. By this time, he could not play the game that he loves.
RADS 2012, reunited after almost 10 years :)
In July 2007, Le’an underwent an operation to remove his thymus gland which was already malignant, cancer stage 3. Doctor’s believed they got all the cancerous part removed and Le’an was cancer free since 2008 after 5 cycles of radiotherapy. He began playing basketball again, got married in November 2009 and had his daughter in June 2011.
In early 2013, Le’an began feeling a bit disturbed with his stamina while playing basketball. At every basketball game after 2 minutes of playing time he’ll be gasping for air like an asthmatic in need of his inhaler. After 6 months of tests, the bomb dropped yet again, the cancer is back. With cancer, recurrences are never a good thing. This time the cancer has filled up his back and half of right lung cavity. Diagnosed this time with “malignant thymoma” stage 4. Le’an went for line 2 chemotherapy but stopped after 2 cycles because he developed pleural effusion (water filling up the lung area hence the need to poke n tap the water out) after each cycle. Further CT scan showed the tumor/mass/cancer was not responding to the chemo instead has grown in size aggressively. He then endured another 3 cycles of the highest dose of chemo but sadly the result was still the same. Le’an has now stopped conventional treatment for his cancer and is now on alternative medication known as SRG (Seva Repo Germanium) which costs him approximately US$2,500 per month.
Le’an is currently unemployed, his wife supporting him and their daughter. I hope to raise $15,000 for him. This will help cover his medication for 6 months and ease their family expenditures. I don’t know how much time he has but I hope what I’m doing can at least lessen his burden in some way :)
Give them more time together...
But life is indeed a roller coaster ride. In December 2006, Le’an was diagnosed with an auto-immune disease called “myasthenia gravis”. This means that the immune system (which normally protects the body from infections) mistakenly attacks itself. The disease attacked his neuron system and muscle reflexes. Symptoms included fatigability on the upper body and lost of control of most of his muscles. Doctors agreed that the thymus gland is thought to be the main source of the abnormal antibodies. By this time, he could not play the game that he loves.
RADS 2012, reunited after almost 10 years :)
In July 2007, Le’an underwent an operation to remove his thymus gland which was already malignant, cancer stage 3. Doctor’s believed they got all the cancerous part removed and Le’an was cancer free since 2008 after 5 cycles of radiotherapy. He began playing basketball again, got married in November 2009 and had his daughter in June 2011.
In early 2013, Le’an began feeling a bit disturbed with his stamina while playing basketball. At every basketball game after 2 minutes of playing time he’ll be gasping for air like an asthmatic in need of his inhaler. After 6 months of tests, the bomb dropped yet again, the cancer is back. With cancer, recurrences are never a good thing. This time the cancer has filled up his back and half of right lung cavity. Diagnosed this time with “malignant thymoma” stage 4. Le’an went for line 2 chemotherapy but stopped after 2 cycles because he developed pleural effusion (water filling up the lung area hence the need to poke n tap the water out) after each cycle. Further CT scan showed the tumor/mass/cancer was not responding to the chemo instead has grown in size aggressively. He then endured another 3 cycles of the highest dose of chemo but sadly the result was still the same. Le’an has now stopped conventional treatment for his cancer and is now on alternative medication known as SRG (Seva Repo Germanium) which costs him approximately US$2,500 per month.
Le’an is currently unemployed, his wife supporting him and their daughter. I hope to raise $15,000 for him. This will help cover his medication for 6 months and ease their family expenditures. I don’t know how much time he has but I hope what I’m doing can at least lessen his burden in some way :)
Give them more time together...
Organizer
Farid 'Cat' Isham
Organizer
