When two women pharmacists – Dr Melissa Lim and Juliet Lau – decided to shave their hair off, it was to make a public statement and display their shared determination that no woman in Sarawak faces breast cancer alone.
Their campaign is both a fundraiser and a call to action. It aims to raise RM55,000 for the Sarawak Breast Cancer Support Group (SBCSG), an organisation that provides support, education and outreach, particularly in rural communities where access to information and early screening remain limited.
For Lau, 41, the cause is painfully close to home. A mother of two, she first discovered a breast lump in 2013. Reassured at the time that it was nothing more than "lumpy breast", she continued with routine checks, even raising concerns again in 2016. Each time, she was told there was nothing to worry about.
It wasn't until 2025, after experiencing extreme fatigue, that a mammogram revealed the truth: aggressive Stage 3 triple negative breast cancer.
The emotional impact was devastating.
"Am I ever going to see them grow up?" she recalls thinking of her young sons.
Determined to stay strong for her family, Lau describes the experience as a constant emotional swing – from courage to devastation and back again.
The financial burden added another layer of strain. With treatment costs reaching up to RM300,000 and not fully covered by insurance, Lau was fortunate to access a clinical trial through the government healthcare system. Even so, the additional expenses remain significant – a reality that has deepened her empathy for other cancer patients facing similar challenges.
"I don't want other women to be in my situation," she says. "Trust your body and get screened early."
For Lim, 40, Lau's story is both a call to action and an echo of her own past.
A clinical lecturer at Universiti Malaysia Sarawak and a cancer researcher, Lim has spent over a decade volunteering with SBCSG, conducting outreach programmes that have reached more than 2,000 women across the state.
Twenty years ago, Lim's own mother was also diagnosed late with breast cancer after a misdiagnosis. At the time, Lau was studying overseas, grappling with fear and helplessness.
"My mom told me, 'Don’t worry about me. Just promise that one day you will help other women learn about breast cancer early,'" she shares.
That promise has shaped her life's work.
Today, Lim's decision to shave her hair off is both a tribute to her mother – now a survivor – and a show of solidarity for Lau, who is at the start of her treatment journey.
When Lau's hair began to fall out during chemotherapy, she confided in Lim her fear of going through it alone, as the two women are close friends who met while training as pharmacists.
"We pledged to go bald together," says Lau. "So that every woman knows she doesn't have to carry this alone."
The act itself is symbolic, but its message is urgent. In Sarawak, one in two women is diagnosed with breast cancer at late stages – a statistic driven by a misinformation, stigma and limited access to early screening, especially in rural areas.
Funds raised from the campaign will go towards producing multilingual educational materials, organising rural outreach sessions and strengthening peer support networks. Even small contributions can make a difference – RM50 can provide breast health information to 10 women, while RM800 can fund a wig for a chemotherapy patient.
For both women, shaving their hair off is not about loss, but about reclaiming control and turning vulnerability into strength.
"This is about hope and dignity," says Lim. "Hair will grow back, but lives might not."
Their message is powerful: listen to your body, seek early screening and speak openly about breast health. By sharing their stories, Lim and Lau hope to spark conversations that could ultimately save lives.
More info: give.asia/campaign/shaving-our-heads-so-no-woman-faces-cancer-alone-in-sarawak
