In January 2018, I began feeling pain in my upper abdomen. At first, I dismissed it as a simple stomachache. I went to a local hospital in Malaysia, and the initial diagnosis was chronic gastritis. The doctor recommended further examination, and after a CT scan, the truth hit me hard — there was a tumor in my gallbladder. I was diagnosed with gallbladder cancer that had already spread to my liver.
The local doctors told me that surgery was not an option in my case. The only path they offered was traditional chemotherapy. I had seen what chemotherapy did to other patients — hair loss, dramatic weight loss, relentless nausea, vomiting, and a body worn down by treatments that kill healthy cells alongside the cancerous ones. I refused. I was not willing to spend whatever time I had left suffering through that.
My brother refused to give up. He searched tirelessly for alternatives and discovered St. Stamford Modern Cancer Hospital Guangzhou. We visited their Kuala Lumpur office for a consultation, and after speaking with the cancer specialists there, I made the decision to travel to Guangzhou.
In December 2018, I arrived at the hospital. The medical team conducted a thorough assessment of my condition — stage IV gallbladder cancer with suspected liver metastasis, gallstones, enlarged lymph nodes, a right renal cyst, and a left adrenal nodule. My situation was complex and serious.
The oncologists held a joint discussion and designed a personalized treatment plan combining interventional therapy and cryotherapy. I went through six courses of treatment. Throughout the entire process, I did not experience the devastating side effects I had feared. My appetite returned. My sleep improved. When the CT scans were reviewed, the results were beyond what I had dared to hope — most of the tumor in my gallbladder had disappeared, and the metastatic lesions in my liver had significantly reduced.
I am deeply grateful for my attending doctor, Dr. Zhai, who was always thoughtful, patient, and available whenever I had questions even after returning to Malaysia. My wife stood by me every step of the way, and seeing her relief as I recovered meant everything to me.
Today, my wife and I are making plans — plans to travel, to enjoy life, to grow old together. That is something I once feared would be taken from me. Thanks to the care I received in Guangzhou, I now have reason to look forward to tomorrow.
