An employer in Changhua County is doing his bit to help a Thai employee suffering from leukemia recover more quickly.
Anon Getchan, 35, a fabric machinery assembly worker, was diagnosed with acute myeloid leukemia (AML) last week and admitted to Changhua Christian Hospital, a local paper reported yesterday.
His employer, Huang Hung-shan (黃宏山) paid for expenses not covered by national health insurance premiums, as well as those of Getchan's wife, who flew in from Thailand to be with her husband.
"Without immediate medical treatment, a patient suffering from leukemia will probably die in two or three months," said Lee Jiann-der (李建德), the doctor who diagnosed Getchan when he first arrived at Changhua Christian Hospital.
Huang owns the Minghsin Industrial Company (
Getchan, who has worked at Huang's company for four years, developed a fever on Dec. 5 and visited several local clinics, but his condition did not improve. His fever was at one time thought to be a possible symptom of SARS. Getchan was later admitted to Changhua Christian Hospital for further diagnosis.
Lee found that Getchan's white blood cell count had jumped and that he was also displaying signs of anemia. After a joint diagnosis with an oncologist, Getchan was found to be suffering from leukemia.
"I had the feeling that Getchan's condition was quite abnormal, because he is a strong middle-aged man but looked very pale and weak. So I had an X-ray screening done and had his blood tested," Lee said.
Upon hearing of Getchan's condition, Huang chose not to send him back to Thailand as he was entitled to do by law. Instead, he helped Getchan receive the best medical treatment.
Getchan has completed the first stage of his treatment and his condition has improved. Huang said that Getchan must undergo four more rounds of treatment, which will take another six months.
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