Cancer information and consultation for patients with any kind of cancer is available through a new foundation launched yesterday, which also aims to address the predicaments of people afflicted with lesser-known cancers who often find themselves having nowhere to turn.
“There are more than 80 kinds of cancer [reported] in Taiwan, but only 16 of them have specific patient groups in which people with the disease can resort to for support and treatment information,” said Lin Wei-chieh (林葳婕), chairwoman of the newly founded Taiwan Association of Cancer Patients, at a news conference in Taipei.
Lin said the lack of variety of support groups means many individuals who are suffering from less common cancers are left stranded, with no one to help them fight for their medical rights.
Citing the example of a 71-year-old man surnamed Hu (胡) from Kaohsiung, Lin said that seven out of Hu’s eight family members were diagnosed with cancers, including liver, breast and thyroid cancers.
“Hu was diagnosed with skin cancer seven years ago, before coming down with four other types of cancer, including adenocarcinoma — a type of lung cancer — two years ago. However, he only managed to find one cancer patient support group matching his types of diseases for support,” Lin said.
The association was established because of the many cancer patients who had approached Lin to vent their frustration over being an orphan in the cancer patient community, and also because government officials said that they had trouble finding “representative voices” for people with certain cancers, Lin said.
One of the founding members of the association, Mental Health Association Taiwan director-general Chang Chueh (張玨), said she only realized how many tasks a cancer patient must take on after she was diagnosed with endometrial cancer several years ago.
“Thanks to rapid advances in medicine, patients can now live with cancers as a chronic disease rather than a death sentence. However, we as cancer patients not only require mutual support, but also a place in the government’s medical policymaking, which is one of the goals the association aims to achieve,” Chang said.
Lin said nearly 100 patients with dozens of different cancers have joined the association, which is to provide them with cancer information, spiritual growth classes and a platform to express their opinions and suggestions.
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