A FISHERMAN’S life in Besut, Terengganu, took a heartbreaking turn after being diagnosed with stage four facial cancer, Kosmo! reported.
Muhamad Faizol Abdullah, 38, who once relied on the sea to provide for his family, now battles his sickness that has forced him to give up his livelihood, replacing his daily routine of braving the ocean waves with frequent hospital visits.
The father of four said he first suspected something was wrong when he noticed a small lump on the right side of his nose in 2023 and the subsequent check-up changed his life forever.
“My heart sank when I was diagnosed with facial cancer.
“Day by day, my face became more swollen, affecting the structure of my nose, mouth and right eye.
“I now have to wear a mask when going out to cover my face and have lost my appetite which is why my weight has dropped from 80kg to 58kg,” he said when met at his home in Kampung Beting Lintang.
Faizol said he now undergoes regular treatment, including chemotherapy, at four different hospitals every month – Hospital Besut, Setiu Hospital, Hospital Sultanah Nur Zahirah in Kuala Terengganu and Hospital Universiti Sains Malaysia in Kelantan.
“Hospitals have become my second home,” Faizol said.
“Thankfully, my wife Nur Salmimi Mahmad Zulkepli, 33, has remained by my side and accompanies me for every treatment.
“Her sacrifices have been immense as she often takes time off from her job as a cook’s assistant at a local eatery, even though she is now the sole breadwinner of our family,” he added.
Despite the hardship, Faizol says he is grateful for the aid he receives from the Social Welfare Department and the Terengganu Islamic Religious and Malay Customs Council.
