Pariwa assists cancer patient to seek overseas treatment
Madang Governor Ramsey Pariwa provided a life-saving assistance of K50,000 to help a 36-year old patient, Samantha Agnesis Turik, who was diagnosed with severe invasive ductal carcinoma, a common type of breast cancer in women.
The money was presented to Samantha’s younger brother, Midi Turik, by governor Pariwa upon receiving a letter of assistance.
Midi said her elder sister is currently at stage four of IDC and is bed-ridden at the Port Moresby General Hospital, where she has served for over fifteen years.
Pariwa said the assistance to Samantha, who hails from Bogia, was a special case since she was in a critical and life-threatening situation, that upon receiving a request letter for assistance late last year he decided to help.
However, with the accounts closure, he had to wait until this week after the reopening of the accounts to respond with the financial assistance to help Samantha seek medical treatment abroad.
Midi, who resides in Madang and works as a physiotherapist at the Modilon Provincial Hospital, said the financial assistance by the Governor is a huge relief and a big hope for the family in seeing her sister recover.
He added that the funds would assist the family in sending Samantha to seek medical treatment, possibly in the Phillippines.
“On behalf of my family, I’d like to thank the Governor for the financial assistance. It has given us hope for our sister's survival," Midi said.
Samantha, who worked as a nurse at the Port Moresby General Hospital in a brief, explained how she came to know that she had cancer.
“It began when I was 28, a time in my life I thought was for building a future. Instead, I was given a diagnosis: invasive ductal carcinoma [IDC],” Samantha said.
Invasive Ductal Carcinoma is the most common type of breast cancer, originating in the milk ducts before spreading to surrounding breast tissue and other organs of the body.
“The news was a world-shattering blow, but I faced it head-on. I couldn't afford to crumble, not when I was the breadwinner for my two siblings,” she said.
“My fight wasn't just for me, it was for them. Even as I was fighting for my own life, I refused to stop working, continuing my calling to serve as a Nurse, now Midwife. My dedication has blessed me with the success of a new rewarding job which I humbly leave as testament to my skill and resolve,” she said.
Midi said with the assistance, the family is working against time to secure necessary logistics to send Samantha overseas to seek help.