Given 2 years to live... She’s now cancer free

Regina was not expected to live for more than two years, but she beat the prognosis.

Regina Chuidian Albert, now 62, was no stranger to cancer. Her father died from colon cancer 17 years ago at the age of 75. Two siblings, an elder sister and a younger brother, would follow. Both died of colon cancer at the ages of 50 and 52.

Next, it was Regina’s eldest sister, who was diagnosed with cervical cancer when she was 53. Yet another sister in her family of nine siblings would be diagnosed with colon cancer at the age of 47. Today, both are cancer survivors.

Regina is also a survivor. Her personal battle with cancer began in February 2000, when she was diagnosed with nasopharyngeal cancer (NPC) or nose cancer.

Suffering from constant bouts of colds, fevers and sore throats since 1998, Regina, who runs an advertising company, was told she had allergic rhinitis.

For almost two years, she underwent treatment for this condition both in the Philippines – where she’s from – and at the Johns Hopkins Hospital in Baltimore, in the US, but there was little improvement.

While in Singapore in 2000, she fell ill again and visited an Ear, Nose and Throat doctor, who immediately diagnosed her with NPC.

Despite Regina’s family history, she was stunned. “I just couldn’t believe what this doctor said,” she recalled. “Why me? That was all I could think of.”

What gave her hope, however, was his reassurance that the cancer was at an early stage and she had a 95 per cent chance of being cured.

Regina underwent radiation treatment and returned to Manila. All appeared well and other than regular check-ups every three to four months, her life returned to normal.

But in 2001, on one of her check-ups in Singapore, an X-ray revealed that her lungs were dotted with cancer cells, while an ultra-sound showed that half her liver was cancerous.

The prognosis was grave: The cancer was stage IV and treatment would be mainly palliative.

The petite woman refused to give up. “I wanted a second and a third opinion,” she said. She consulted two other doctors in Singapore and got the results sent to two US hospitals.

In the end, she opted for liver surgery under liver specialist Dr K.C. Tan, who referred her to Parkway Cancer Centre’s Senior Consultant of Haematology, Dr Freddy Teo, for chemotherapy. That began just one week after the surgery and from then on, she placed her trust in Dr Teo.

Dr Teo recalled that Regina was, like most patients, initially frightened and unsure of what to do. However, thereafter, “she was a model patient”, he added. She was intelligent, decisive, had tremendous fighting spirit and excellent support from family and friends.

Still, Dr Teo wasn’t too optimistic. He explained that patients with such advanced disease often did not live beyond 18 months even with treatment.

“When we first saw her (in 2001), my expectation was that she would survive two to three years at the most,” added the oncologist on why Regina’s story was a miracle.

Nursing manager Sister Tay Sok Har, who cared for Regina over the course of her treatment, remembered clearly her patient’s will to live.

Through numerous cycles of chemotherapy from 2001 to the end of 2004, Sister Tay said it was like they’d run a marathon together.

“Those years of chasing and killing cancer cells were tiring and frustrating,” said the nursing manager, adding: “If not for Regina’s perseverance, resilience, love for life, courage and fighting spirit, as well as her faith in Dr Teo, that period would have been unbearable.”

Sister Tay recalled how she and Regina cried together, and hugged when the going got tough. Regina, too, fondly describes Sister Tay as her “guiding light”.

Then, their prayers were answered. In 2004, on 2 December – Regina’s birthday – she received the best present ever: She was cancer free.

Sister Tay adds: “To date, her PET scans are clear of cancer. It’s amazing. She’s an inspiration. She taught me never to give up, to never succumb to adversities.”

Meanwhile, on how she got those long dark years, she shared: “One doctor told me that my survival depended on three pillars: medical treatment, spiritual attitude and mental attitude.”

Those words gave her something to lean on. “They became my mission. I was going to survive, whatever the ordeal, by strengthening those pillars one day at a time.”