Hi, I’m Adelene and I’m raising funds to help support finances for my mum’s cancer journey and treatment.

My parents don’t have much financially and my dad is retired. They don’t have any insurance or financial support and everything is self-payed. My mum is one the most sweetest person I know and is only in her early 60s. My mum and dad actively serve in church, lead a connect group and counsel others together.

Currently, my siblings and I are helping to support them with what we have but it's not enough. My mum is still in the hospital and so the bill is still adding up daily. The amount has already racked up to almost RM 200k (72k AUD) and it is still ongoing.

Here’s a backstory on my mum’s journey so far; a miracle and testimony in progress.

This was the day she was admitted, before everything spiralled.

My mum was diagnosed with stage 4 breast cancer and we were preparing to begin chemotherapy in a few days. She was doing great when suddenly everything spiralled on the 14/9. My mum was having breakfast in the ward and spending time with my dad when she suddenly couldn’t breathe. The nurses came and tried every type of breathing support tool but nothing worked. They had to immediately bring her straight to the ICU to be intubated, otherwise her heart would just give out.

While then, my dad and I waited in the hallways only to soon be called to come into the ICU and into a private room. We were told that they struggled to intubate my mum as there was a blockage. Her heart stopped and she flatlined for 7-8mins. They had tried everything but were going to keep trying CPR for another 30mins but to be ready that she may not make it. My dad called my older sister, who just flew back that morning to see her kids, and we each prayed and committed everything into God’s hands. Then, I suggested to my dad that we just worship while we waited. I don’t remember how long after but the doctor came back and said, “She made it”.

When I saw my mum heavily sedated with cords and tubes everywhere, I just fell on my knees with my head down on the ground, weeping and thanking Jesus. This was a little miracle that Jesus gave my family but the story doesn't end there.

We prayed over her, declaring and worshipping for as long as we could.

The next day (15/9), we got a call early morning that her condition is deteriorating and to prepare ourselves that it may be the day. We were told that my mum was in a very critical state, the cancer had spread to her lymph nodes and were crushing her airways which is why she needed the ventilator and none of the breathing tools worked. She also had pneumonia. My mum was already on the max setting on the ventilator, (ie she was fully dependant on the machine to breathe for her) and on 4 inotropes. Basically she's maxed out on heart medication too. We were told that if this doesn't help then there's nothing else. We chose to hold on to God and His word, continued to pray for healing and a miracle, interceding for my mum and worshipping in the ICU ward from 7am - 2am. Despite the doctor's reports and medical situation, she did not die.

The following day (16/9), we got another early morning call. Her blood pressure kept falling below 40 and heart rate below 70 despite maximum medication. We were told that things were looking very bad, her organs were failing and to again prepare ourselves. We were even told to consider just taking her home but we decided against that, and chose to keep her in the ICU while we continue praying, declaring over her and trusting God for a miracle. At 10pm, the church organised a 24hour prayer chat for my mum and there were so many who joined us in fervently and continuously praying for her and we are so thankful for each and every one. For the third time, she did not die.

On Wednesday (17/9), the doctor met with us to say that it looks like things were turning for the better and there was a slight improvement but to not get our hopes up because things can always look good before the 'crash'. She went from being on 4 inotropes to only 3 but she was still fully supported by the ventilator for breathing. They've managed to reduce medication doses but kept giving antibiotics and heart medication. They've also decided to try and reduce the sedation to see if my mum would wake up and to also try feeding her through a tube. The medical staff were still very concern about the mass around her lungs and her kidneys which they said were shutting down. Hours later and my mum hadn't woken up from sedation yet, so the doctor said they will be giving her 24hours to show signs of waking before carrying out a brain scan. As my mum had flatlined, we were told that 7-8 mins without oxygen to the brain could cause HIE, a serious brain injury. We continued to pray and press on for healing and a miracle for my mum, and committed everything into the Lord's hands.

On Thursday morning (18/9), my mum opened her eyes but she was still delirious and her eyes were a little rolled back. The nurses said she can move her fingers but not her limbs and we were told that due to her kidneys not functioning at a 100%, it's taking time for the sedation to fully wear off. The doctor also said that they would be testing for HIE. So we kept praying because if anyone can heal my mum, it would be Jesus. They've also reduced certain medication and no longer needed any to support her heart. They also managed to reduced the ventilator setting meaning she was breathing a little on her own.

My dad speaking to my mum who was finally fully awake and conscious.

On Friday (19/9), we witness another miracle, my mum opened her eyes and was conscious. She was still weak but could move her hands and wiggle her toes on command by the nurse. She attempted to speak but it was hard as she still had the breathing tube down her throat. When I prayed for my mum, she would mouth "Amen" and when my sister told her how loved she was and that everyone in church was praying for her & her eyes smiled. My mum's oncologist referred her to a respiratory doctor who was going to carry out a procedure to put a stent in my mum's airways so that the breathing tube can be removed without her airways collapsing. He told us the details of the procedure and the risks that came with it like suffocation and cardiac arrest, but it was the only way to get my mum off the breathing tube. So, we kept on praying for my mum and updating our church family with her progress. Due to finances, we went with the option for the doctor to book in a slot for whenever the operating theatre was free and the earliest he could get was for Monday at 6pm. Despite all of this, the nurse said that they are all in shock. They have never seen a recovery like this. They were so sure she was not gonna make it. We give all glory to Jesus!

My mum would smile as we spoke to her, attempt to talk with signs and gesture for hugs.

My mum continued to show some improvements and was stable over the weekends. On Saturday (20/9), her CRP, an inflammation marker was initially at 50 and has gone down to 30. The nurse said that we want it to go down to single digits as they would show us that there is no more infection. Her liver was slowly getting better which was a good sign as we needed it to be healthy to remove toxins. Her blood levels were low but no blood transfusion was needed at that stage. Overall, she was good. The nurses said that my mum would give them thumbs up as they assisted and cared for her and was in good spirits. They also began slowly lowering the oxygen output on the ventilator.

On Sunday (21/9), my mum's vitals were good and the CRP came down to 14.9. However, the nurse did mention that at 3am, my mum wanted to get out of bed, legs hanging off the bed and hands on the rail attempting to pull herself up. We like to think that she knew it was Sunday and wanted to go to church (haha). The nurse did say she seemed anxious BUT was not fearful, they put on a worship song for her which helped my mum calm down. They gave her some sedation to help her rest and just to keep blood pressure stable as they needed to make sure everything would be good and ready for the procedure for Monday.

My mum smiling and giving a thumbs up before her stent procedure

On Monday (22/9), the procedure was set for 6pm but due to prior procedures and it being very busy day, it was pushed back about 1.5 hours. We prayed for her before they pushed her off into the operating theather, and my mum was full of joy and peace. She even gave us a thumbs up and a heart sign. We prayed the whole time and finally heard back that the procedure was a success. My mum was still sedated and in recovery back in the ICU. She had the breathing tube put back in and would be monitored to see when they can remove it. We got to see her later at around 9pm, still sedated and resting but we were told that she was having bronchial spasms. They had given her medication for it and we just continue to pray for her and trust that it is all in the Lord's hands as we headed home for the night.

My mum would constantly tell us she loved us, pointing to us and touching her heart, caressing us and smiling. She never once complained or showed any sign of discomfort.

On Tuesday (23/9), my mum was awake. The medical team did attempt to take her off the ventilator but after 5 mins, she was struggling so they had to put her back on the ventilator. Her CRP had gone back up to 47 but we were told it could be due to the foreign object, the stent, and her immune system was detecting it. They were going to take a blood test and at 1pm, try to take her off the ventilator again. Later in the afternoon, we had an update from the respiratory doctor that they found a lot of fluid in my mum's chest area hence it was preventing her lungs from expanding which is why she was struggling to breathe on her own. He suspects that the fluid could be from extensive amount of medication they had to give her to stabilise the blood pressure previously or maybe from cancer cells that are known to produce fluid. They said that they would have to do another procedure to insert a tube and needle between her ribs to drain the fluid. Once again, it comes with risks like fatal bleeding or puncturing organs. The draining of fluid may also take days to prevent pulmonary embolism. Despite all of that, my mum continued to show so much strength and joy. It felt like her spirit was strong but her body just hasn't caught up yet. Every time we went to see her during visiting hours, her eyes would light up and she would tell us she loves us through signing, gestures and attempting to mouth words. The nurse even joked and said to my mum, "You and I are best friends." and my mum nodded and smiled, giving her a thumbs up. As we were about to leave, another nurse said to my mum to give a flying kiss and my mum did just that. It was amazing just how my family and I felt so encouraged by my mum while we were there to encouraged her. There is no doubt in our hearts, that is the perfect example of the joy of the Lord is my strength. By 7pm, the procedure was done and an x-ray was taken to see if the needle was inserted correctly. However, there was blood stained in the liquid so a sample was taken for further testing. There was also pus in the drainage and the nurse said this could have been the reason why her CRP was high. Again, we continued to pray and trust in the Lord for healing over my mum. We prayed that there won't be much liquid left as they can only do 500mls at a time and that the blood stained liquid is of no concern, and for her to be off the breathing tube as soon as possible.

Mum's other favourite hand sign to show us that she loved us.

On Wednesday (24/9), we got an update from the nurse that my mum is doing well. They've reduced the ventilator setting but still can't remove the breathing tube yet because they needed to monitor her for another day or two. The pleural fluid is clearer now and less blood stained. My mum managed 4 hours breathing on her own before she started to struggle and they ended to put her back on the ventilator. We continue to pray for healing over lungs and commit her to God, trusting that He is in control.

For the first time in weeks, my mom was sitting up on a chair, reading the newspaper and looking at cards her grandchildren drew for her.

On Thursday (25/9), they reduced the ventilator setting and took her off sedation to monitor if she can fully breathe on her own. She needed to be able to do it for 24 hours before they can remove the tube. By 4pm, she had managed to breathe on her own since 7am and if she reached 7am the next day, the doctor would assess and possibly remove the breathing tube. We continued to pray for supernatural healing, strength and comfort as she was fully off sedation, meaning that she could feel everything and the tube in her throat which at times would make her gag a little. Her CRP did go up to 78, possibly due to existing infections. The tumour wound on her breast looked weepy and so the medical team got the wound care specialists to have a look at it and treat it. The nurse also managed to get my mum to sit up on a chair for 2 hours! Overall, her condition was improving and we give God all the praise.

My mum having video call conversation with her oldest daughter and grandchildren. While her voice was weak and hoarse, she was able to finally speak again.

On Friday (26/9), they removed the breathing tube but she still required oxygen through the nose. The doctor also carried out physio with my mum to help her movements and help clear the sputum from her lungs. We continue to fervently pray for the Lord's healing, protection and covering over her as while she was doing good and showing improvement, my mum was well off sedation and very much aware of everything around her which can confronting for anyone. My mum had no idea that she has been in the ICU for 13 days or that she flatlined for 7-8mins, that she was literally a living miracle that had astounded the medical staff.

My mum's breathing tube was switched out for a smaller one and she had church family visit her.

On Saturday (27/9), the nurse said that my mum was doing good and the respiratory doctor said that my mum will be able to shift out of ICU to HDU but will be waiting for confirmation from the oncologist and ICU doctor. Her CRP maintained and another blood test would be carried out. In the evening, my mum was moved into the HDU. They had also switched out her nose breathing tube to a much smaller one too.We continued to pray and press on for healing and had full faith that soon she will be moved into the normal hospital ward.

On Sunday (28/9), my mum was completely off the ventilators and able to breathe on her own. The respiratory doctor gave the green light for her to be transferred to the normal ward. The oncologist said that she is doing well and should be able to be moved to the normal ward tomorrow. Hopefully, start chemotheraphy by Tues or Weds, starting with milder dosage. However, before chemotherapy, the respiratory doctor would need to remove the needle and tube that was used to help drain the fluid around the lungs. So, we continue to press on in prayer for healing and a miracle that the cancer cell and tumour will be gone in Jesus' name.

On a video call with my mum, without any more breathing tube.

On Monday (29/9), my mum has began eating soft foods (ie congee/ rice porridge). However, she was still in HDU.

On Tuesday (30/9), the feeding tube was removed and my mum had congee for both breakfast and lunch.

On Wednesday (1/10), the respiratory doctor finally came back to inform my parents that there was still some liquid around the lungs but it was much lesser. He would be carrying out another procedure called the talc pleurodesis, that uses sterile talcum powder to intentionally create inflammation to cause the lung to "stick" to the chest wall, a process known as adhesion, to prevent the recurrence of fluid or air in the pleural space. The procedure comes with common side effects that is very painful. According to the doctor, the liquid was caused by cancer. Once the procedure was done, she'd be observed before moving to the normal ward. By the evening, my mum was moved out of the HDU into the normal ward.

On a video call my mum, who's now in the normal ward after her procedure.

On Thursday (2/10), the needle was removed and an X-ray was taken. The respiratory doctor said that the lungs looks okay and the stent is doing fine. However, there was 200ml of fluid that came out which the doctor believes may be due to blockage of the tube so it remained in the surrounding of the lungs. My mum was coughing a lot as she still has a lot of sputum accumulated due to the breathing tube. Overall my mum is doing good, she's eating well and continues to have her physio and exercise to get her mobility back. We continued to prayed for my mum over video calls (as all of us, children, have flown back) for peace, strength and healing over both my parents.

My mum going for her daily exercise to help her walk again.

As of today, Friday (3/10), my mum continues to show improvement. She no longer has anymore sputum and continues to do her daily physio sessions. She will be starting a chemotherapy session today. We are continuously praying for a miracle that my mom will come out cancer-free and be a living testimony of God's goodness and love.

And to be continued..

My family and I are so grateful to everyone from different countries who have joined in with prayer and lend us their faith for my mum's healing and cancer journey. Until today, the 24 hour prayer chat group for my mom is still just as active as it first started and is still ongoing with constant prayers and declaration over my mum all day long. We give all honour and glory to God who has given us so many little miracles throughout the past few weeks. We are still trusting and holding on to God for complete healing and a miracle for my mum, and also for financial provision.

Thankful for all the prayers, love and support you have all shown us.

Any donation, big or small, will make a huge difference and help my mum's cancer journey.

If you're unable to help financially, we would love if you can consider sharing this fundraiser to others.

Thank you and God bless.

Anna's stage 4 breast cancer treatment

Still $23,460 to go. Help us build momentum.