Two of our favourite things about Moses Goh are his rosy cheeks and the way he communicates with us. Moses is always curious with all his questions about why things are the way they are. A fearless boy, he is always the one who approaches other kids during playtime. In September 2021, Moses was diagnosed with Pre B-Cell Acute Lymphoblastic Leukaemia (ALL) when he was 3 years old. His mum, Mdm Tang, shares their story:
Two months recurring fever
It happened so unexpectedly with Moses starting to have fever one day. We brought him to a clinic in Kuching for a check-up and we were prescribed normal fever relief medication. Moses took the medicine but he did not fully recover. His intermittent fever went on for about two months. We knew something was wrong because Moses, an easy eater, started to lose his appetite and he was gradually losing weight.
He looked so pale and we could just tell that his cheeks were so swollen. At that time, he did not have any rashes or joint pain but you could see that he was feeling very uncomfortable and not himself.
Getting his symptoms checked
My husband and I did not hesitate to get further professional medical advice on his signs and symptoms. After a blood test and some other tests, the doctor confirmed and diagnosed Moses with cancer.
My whole world stopped for a moment when we received the news. As a parent, you can never prepare mentally and emotionally for this. The journey would not be easy, but the doctor reassured us there was a high survival chance if we went through the proper treatment protocol.
Tough but hopeful
It is true that you need a close community who will support you whole-heartedly in a cancer-fighting journey. People who send you encouraging messages every day; people who bring you food at the hospital ward; and people you can talk to during tough times.
Moses did not and still does not like eating medicine. So making sure he eats his medicine was the most challenging for me. He would refuse to take his medication, and I needed to find ways to ensure he takes it, be it sneaking it inside his meals or drinks.
That became more challenging when he started to vomit and had no appetite to eat during his chemotherapy treatment. When he was actively undergoing treatment, there were times when Moses would have fever and needed to be admitted to the ward. At that time, my husband often travelled to Miri for work and it was difficult for me to juggle between being with Moses at the ward and taking care of my other two kids at home (Moses’s elder brothers).
Fighting spirit
Looking back, I do not know how we managed to do it all during that time. However, the fighting spirit and positivity within Moses definitely kept me going and kept my hopes up. He is such a happy child and I am so inspired by how hard and brave he fights during his chemotherapy.
For instance, he would, occasionally, throw tantrums and give me a hard time when he had to eat medicine. But eventually, he would say sorry to me and just eat his medicine. Sometimes, I am very taken aback by how mature and understanding he is at his young age. No matter how difficult this journey is, the funny things that he says and the love he shows me through his actions really make up for it.
A community of love
In March 2022, Moses completed his active treatment. Currently, he continues his chemotherapy maintenance, twice in a month, and goes for his monthly check-up at the Sarawak General Hospital.
It has been almost 2 years since this cancer-fighting journey started. I am grateful for the SCCS team who has been there for him since the beginning. Every time Moses needs to visit the clinic for his monthly check-up, he is always excited because he knows that the SCCS team will be there to carry out some fun activities with him. He is also very happy to see the SCCS team at the ward, cheering him up with toys and gifts.
They have definitely made this journey more fun and easier for him.
Strength through perseverance
Moses loves singing, and he would occasionally serenade me with his maybe-not-so-beautiful songs. I call this journey “a small obstacle in his life”. Through this small obstacle, I have the privilege, as his mother, to watch Moses grow in determination, resilience and tenacity to push through difficult circumstances.
He is my reminder that true strength lies not in avoiding challenges, but in persisting through them.
Message to families fighting the cancer battle: Stay strong and persevere. We can all do it!
Your donation is supporting kids like Moses on their cancer-fighting journey. From as low as only RM30/month, you can help kids fight cancer!
Sign up today for our Heart of Gold Monthly Donation Programme to help ensure children with cancer get access to the medical treatment and care they need to get better.
Childhood cancer is treatable, and your support can help save their lives.
