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STANDING STRONG
EMPOWERING OTHERS BY WALKING THE JOURNEY
W
hen Mr Ellil Mathiyan was first diagnosed with both rectal and testicular cancer in March 2011, his family did not notice a change in his cheerful demeanour at family gatherings. “Despite being stricken with cancer, he was still his usual upbeat, positive self,” recalled Mr Darren Ching, his nephew. “Everyone was quietly rooting for him, and we were all so impressed by his resilience in the face of his illness.”
It was not an easy journey for Mr Ellil, now 60. He had surgery at Changi General Hospital (CGH) to remove his rectum and underwent 28 radiation treatment sessions and eight chemotherapy cycles, before he was declared cancer-free nine months later. Just as he completed the arduous treatment, he was greeted with another challenging piece of news. He would have to wear a stoma bag for the rest of his life to collect stool through an artificially created hole in his abdomen. “It was a big blow to me. I had to learn how to live with such a permanent change to my body,” he recalled.
The importance of support Determined to deal with the change, he looked online for information on stoma care and found a UK-based online support group with fellow cancer survivors who shared useful tips and information with one another. He started looking for local groups that could offer the same support, and a chance encounter with a fellow colorectal cancer survivor at the National Cancer Centre (NCCS) led him to the SGH Colorectal Cancer Support Group (CCSG). “The CCSG was one of the best things that happened to me after surgery,” he said. “It means a lot to meet others who are going through the same challenges as you who can share their own experience and give advice.”
Mr Ellil speaking to patients at a support group meeting.
