SANDAKAN: For a woman diagnosed with breast cancer, the fear can be overwhelming. There are worries about treatment, an uncertain future and sometimes, the frightening feeling of having to face it all alone.
But in Sandakan on Sabah's east coast, women who have walked that difficult road themselves are helping others find the courage to carry on.
Through hospital and home visits, emotional support and financial assistance, Sandakan Pink Ribbon has spent 20 years ensuring that breast cancer patients do not have to face their struggles alone.
"We emphasise moral support, (especially) from the family," said Sandakan Breast Cancer Support Association president Mary Alex Mansiw-Tek, stressing the importance of encouragement from husbands and immediate family members during treatment.
As the association prepares to commemorate its 20-year journey with a fundraising charity dinner on Saturday (Oct 31), Mary recalled how the initiative began in 2006.
A former radiographer and diagnostic imaging lecturer at Universiti Teknologi Mara, she had approached then Sandakan Duchess of Kent Hospital director Dr Zorina Khalid with the idea of bringing breast cancer awareness beyond hospital walls.
With support from healthcare workers and volunteers, a small committee began organising educational talks, forums and breast self-examination workshops.
Their efforts eventually reached schools, plantations and rural communities across Sabah, including Beluran, Kinabatangan, Lahad Datu and Keningau.
But as the volunteers met more patients, they realised that fighting breast cancer was not just about detecting the disease.
Behind every diagnosis was a woman struggling with fear, uncertainty and sometimes financial difficulties.
While doctors could explain medical procedures, patients also needed reassurance from someone who had survived the same experience.
This led to the establishment of a patient support group, connecting breast cancer survivors with newly diagnosed women.
Mary said survivors could share practical advice on treatment, nutrition and lifestyle changes while offering something equally important – hope that life could continue beyond cancer.
Today, the association maintains a WhatsApp group to monitor patients' needs, while volunteers visit those requiring encouragement, including the ones reluctant to get treatment.
Financial assistance is also provided, with additional support considered according to individual circumstances and hospital documentation.
Mary said continuous fundraising was necessary to sustain patient welfare, educational programmes and volunteer training.
Even during the Covid-19 pandemic, when face-to-face activities were disrupted, volunteers continued checking on patients and providing assistance where needed.
The journey also saw the organisation grow from a small committee operating out of hospitals, borrowed venues and sometimes Mary's home into an established association.
After 11 years of community work, it was formally registered as the Sandakan Breast Cancer Support Association, Sabah, on Feb 2, 2017, before its official launch that October.
With support from donors and corporate contributors, the association subsequently secured its own centre at Bandar Utama, Mile 6, here.
The centre provides a space where survivors can gather, patients can seek support and volunteers can organise activities.
"Thank God that we have the centre now, so we are able to do a lot of activities in this centre," Mary said.
She added that early detection and public education remained important, particularly in encouraging people to recognise warning signs and seek timely medical attention.
The fundraising charity dinner at Sabah Hotel on Saturday will honour the healthcare professionals, volunteers, survivors, families and supporters who have contributed to the initiative over the years.
Mary said tickets had been sold out, although donations were still welcome to support its programmes.
As Sandakan Pink Ribbon enters its third decade, what began as an effort to educate women about breast health has become a community where survivors reach back to help others still finding their way.
For someone facing a frightening diagnosis, knowing that another woman has survived the same journey and is willing to walk beside her can make all the difference.
