Netizens raise $200,000 for S'porean's last journey home

[MovieStar]

In less than two days, family, friends and strangers raised $200,000 to pay for a Singaporean's last journey home and to support his widow and disabled baby.

Kenny Tan, 30, died from cancer in Rotterdam, Holland on Monday and his wife, Tan Lai Peng, who was with him, did not have the money to repatriate his body.

When a friend posted on Facebook on Tuesday morning calling for donations, people were so moved that the money poured in to support the family, with $98,000 raised in the first 14 hours alone.

The Tans have faced heartbreaking challenges in the past two years. Mr Tan was diagnosed with cancer, then fathered a premature baby with heart problems and Down syndrome.

Last month, in a last-gasp attempt to save his life, Mr and Mrs Tan flew to Rotterdam to seek alternative treatment, leaving their year-old son Kendre in the care of Mr Tan's mother.

But Mr Tan died there on Monday. After learning of Mrs Tan's plight, two of Mr Tan's secondary school friends, Ian Lim Wei Ming and Zach Lim Wei Long, both 30, uploaded a Facebook post calling for donations to bring Mr Tan's body back.

The post revealed that Mr Tan had been diagnosed with stage four kidney and lung cancer two years ago.

Mr Tan, a new insurance agent who had just married a few months earlier, refused to seek treatment at first.

In the midst of the gloom, there was a bright spot - his wife was pregnant. During Chinese New Year last year, Kendre was born prematurely.

The baby's heart was not functioning properly and he will need multiple operations.

The Facebook post said that Mr Tan received a $100,000 insurance payout for critical illness, but he did not want to be treated because he wanted to leave the money for his son's operation.

But Mr Zach Lim and his other friends convinced Mr Tan to go through chemotherapy at Mount Elizabeth Hospital.

He also had his affected kidney removed, which kept the cancer at bay. But the treatment wiped out the insurance money.

Fortunately, Kendre was saved by surgery, which was performed and paid for by KK Women's and Children's Hospital.

Then late last year, Mr Tan had a relapse and the cancer spread to his brain. Although he sought treatment again, it was not successful.

Determined to fight for his life, Mr Tan researched treatment abroad and made the journey to Rotterdam early last month.

In the post, Mr Zach Lim said: "Kenny has been laid to rest in a coffin and will be on his journey back once Holland authorities clear the paperwork."

In an update on Wednesday night, he announced that $200,000 had been raised and he would stop receiving donations on Sunday at 11.59pm.

Readers can check the Facebook group "Help Kenny Tan on his last Journey back" for updates.

http://news.omy.sg/News/Local-News/story20150918-374591

 

[MovieStar]

Rest in Peach, Mr Tan

 

[chootchiew]

Noone in sinkieland should be left alone. Cancer treatment should be paid by it's government.

 

[MovieStar]

Noone in sinkieland should be left alone. Cancer treatment should be paid by it's government.

yes, quite sad like this case.

in sinkieland, can die but can not afford to sick.

i have experience of spending 1k++ medical fee per month.
this happened few years ago and the whole year i spent about 15k for my medical fee.

 

[Black Swan]

I find it rather perplexing that he undergone chemo at Mt E. Why can't he choose chemo at National Cancer Centre?

 

[MovieStar]

I find it rather perplexing that he undergone chemo at Mt E. Why can't he choose chemo at National Cancer Centre?

hey, i did my teeth implant last year. guess what.

i tried to call National Dental Centre. the price is almost same as private clinic.

 

[xpo2015]

Sucks be Singaporeans! In angmo countries such treatments are paid by garmen!

PAP shouldn't win a landslide because it allowed such things to happen!

 

[blissquek]

yes, quite sad like this case.

in sinkieland, can die but can not afford to sick.

i have experience of spending 1k++ medical fee per month.
this happened few years ago and the whole year i spent about 15k for my medical fee.

Why is it so expensive here..??

My son asked me to take up my case with the MOH..they debit me extra $3 processing fee for me to use my medisave for treatment of my chronic disease. ( they have quietly removed it. But they did not refund those that they have debited.)

Mr,Khaw was then the Health Minister.
They need to do three transactions ( $3x3) That will be enough to cover for the cow"s $8 by-pass and still got surplus.

Here the government tries to squeeze you as much as possible for their growth at all cost policy.

 

[MovieStar]

Why is it so expensive here..??

My son asked me to take up my case with the MOH..they debit me extra $3 processing fee for me to use my medisave for treatment of my chronic disease. ( they have quietly removed it. But they did not refund those that they have debited.)

Here the govenment tries to squeeze you as much as possible for their growth at all cost policy.

that medicine not subsidized

 

[tingtze]

I find it rather perplexing that he undergone chemo at Mt E. Why can't he choose chemo at National Cancer Centre?

My mom was diagnosed with stage 3 lung cancer by a doctor there, he basically told us that this is it, advised us that there is not much you can do for her.

he also told my brother that she had a small tumor on her brain as well as a small one on her kidney, but he wanted her to have radio therapy to control the tumor on the brain first. At the meantime, the doctor made an appointment to see her a month after the radio therapy, the radio therapy lasted two weeks, requires 3 treatments per week, that is once every other day. Because of the therapy and the appointment that was so distant apart, the doctor will not see her for a month and a half after her cancer diagnosis.

When I rushed back to Singapore, she just started her radio therapy, I went with her on that 3 sessions for the week, these fancy state of the art equipment were operated by very young Singaporean or FT??, although I was a little weary, but I was so impressed with these state of the art facility, I thought my mom was in the right hand.

After each therapy session, my mom would be seen by a doctor on duty that day, basically, these doctors just simply ask a few basic non essential questions.

My mom passed away a week after the radio therapy, her kidney was failing while she was taking her radio therapy, she was slowly turning yellow because of the failing kidney, my brother and I were too ignorance to realize that she was looking more yellow everyday, we just thought she was not well, but all these doctors that were checking on her, all these hospital stuffs that were supposedly health care workers, they did not even notice that my mom was turning yellow when we were there for the two weeks. They had the gall to call my mom after her passing to confirm her appointment.

I can tell you that in NCC, they are a bunch of incompetent fools, how can a medical professional be so foolish to make appointment at such a later date when he knew her condition was not encouraging? How can he just ignore the kidney tumor and thought the one on the brain is more important? What kind of idiot would do such a thing when it comes to cancer?

I have a friend in US, her grandmother is a little older than my mom, she was also diagnosed with stage 3 lung cancer, the doctor in US said the same thing, the diagnosis is not good, she did not have much time, there is not much you can do with stage 3 lung cancel, chemo will only delay it so long but with bad side effects.

Even with these gloomy situation, when my friend and his family opted out of using chemo, the doctor put her on a medication called Tarceva immediately, it is a proven medication to treat lung cancel, the old lady was up and about for a year and a half with the medication before she passed, she did not have any pain nor was she in anyway in capable of having a normal life for that year and a half, my friend told me they thought she was getting better. The doctor in US did not delay or discourage any treatment or give any ill advice.

NCC has a way to go before I will even trust them.

 

[Black Swan]

hey, i did my teeth implant last year. guess what.

i tried to call National Dental Centre. the price is almost same as private clinic.

Guess what? You called the wrong centre. If you just wanted to compare prices, you should have "tried to call" JB dental centre. Must be cheaper than dental clinics here.

 

[dancingshoes]

sad case, that's why i say health care must be free for sinkies, if not sure die terribly.

 

[Black Swan]

My mom was diagnosed with stage 3 lung cancer by a doctor there, he basically told us that this is it, advised us that there is not much you can do for her.

he also told my brother that she had a small tumor on her brain as well as a small one on her kidney, but he wanted her to have radio therapy to control the tumor on the brain first. At the meantime, the doctor made an appointment to see her a month after the radio therapy, the radio therapy lasted two weeks, requires 3 treatments per week, that is once every other day. Because of the therapy and the appointment that was so distant apart, the doctor will not see her for a month and a half after her cancer diagnosis.

When I rushed back to Singapore, she just started her radio therapy, I went with her on that 3 sessions for the week, these fancy state of the art equipment were operated by very young Singaporean or FT??, although I was a little weary, but I was so impressed with these state of the art facility, I thought my mom was in the right hand.

After each therapy session, my mom would be seen by a doctor on duty that day, basically, these doctors just simply ask a few basic non essential questions.

My mom passed away a week after the radio therapy, her kidney was failing while she was taking her radio therapy, she was slowly turning yellow because of the failing kidney, my brother and I were too ignorance to realize that she was looking more yellow everyday, we just thought she was not well, but all these doctors that were checking on her, all these hospital stuffs that were supposedly health care workers, they did not even notice that my mom was turning yellow when we were there for the two weeks. They had the gall to call my mom after her passing to confirm her appointment.

I can tell you that in NCC, they are a bunch of incompetent fools, how can a medical professional be so foolish to make appointment at such a later date when he knew her condition was not encouraging? How can he just ignore the kidney tumor and thought the one on the brain is more important? What kind of idiot would do such a thing when it comes to cancer?

I have a friend in US, her grandmother is a little older than my mom, she was also diagnosed with stage 3 lung cancer, the doctor in US said the same thing, the diagnosis is not good, she did not have much time, there is not much you can do with stage 3 lung cancel, chemo will only delay it so long but with bad side effects.

Even with these gloomy situation, when my friend and his family opted out of using chemo, the doctor put her on a medication called Tarceva immediately, it is a proven medication to treat lung cancel, the old lady was up and about for a year and a half with the medication before she passed, she did not have any pain nor was she in anyway in capable of having a normal life for that year and a half, my friend told me they thought she was getting better. The doctor in US did not delay or discourage any treatment or give any ill advice.

NCC has a way to go before I will even trust them.

I am sorry to hear about your mum condition. If the cancer has metastasized then it is very difficult to treat. If your mother was old, treatment would usually be palliative chemo, at max. Yes, I do agree that there are more cancer drugs available in the US than here but at what cost? If you can afford it, by all means, go to US for chemo. John Hopkins is the best.

I am just curious why Kenny at 30 didn't go NCC?

 

[tingtze]

I am sorry to hear about your mum condition. If the cancer has metastasized then it is very difficult to treat. If your mother was old, treatment would usually be palliative chemo, at max. Yes, I do agree that there are more cancer drugs available in the US than here but at what cost? If you can afford it, by all means, go to US for chemo. John Hopkins is the best.

I am just curious why Kenny at 30 didn't go NCC?

He was right not to go there. It is not about drugs or US, it is about compassion as health care professionals, which NCC is lacking, all the million dollars state of the art facility is not going to make you more compassionate than a piece of cold metal.

A week and a half into the radio therapy at NCC, my brother and I made an appointment in Mount E to see a cancer specialist, on the appointment date, we went into the doctor's office while my mom and my aunt waited in the waiting room, the doctor read through the NCC report on my mom, and ask some standard question about my mom, he said the best treatment is to give her the drug Iressa, Iressa is very similar to Tarceva for treating small cell lung cancer, he then asked to see my mom, when my aunt wheeled her into the office, the doctor said it was too late, she was suffering from jaundice, her liver was failing, that was why she was turning yellow, I meant to say liver instead of kidney in my last post as I was still emotional when I was making my post.

In health care, experience and compassion count more than fancy facility.

 

[soIsee]

My mom was diagnosed with stage 3 lung cancer by a doctor there, he basically told us that this is it, advised us that there is not much you can do for her.

he also told my brother that she had a small tumor on her brain as well as a small one on her kidney, but he wanted her to have radio therapy to control the tumor on the brain first. At the meantime, the doctor made an appointment to see her a month after the radio therapy, the radio therapy lasted two weeks, requires 3 treatments per week, that is once every other day. Because of the therapy and the appointment that was so distant apart, the doctor will not see her for a month and a half after her cancer diagnosis.

When I rushed back to Singapore, she just started her radio therapy, I went with her on that 3 sessions for the week, these fancy state of the art equipment were operated by very young Singaporean or FT??, although I was a little weary, but I was so impressed with these state of the art facility, I thought my mom was in the right hand.

After each therapy session, my mom would be seen by a doctor on duty that day, basically, these doctors just simply ask a few basic non essential questions.

My mom passed away a week after the radio therapy, her kidney was failing while she was taking her radio therapy, she was slowly turning yellow because of the failing kidney, my brother and I were too ignorance to realize that she was looking more yellow everyday, we just thought she was not well, but all these doctors that were checking on her, all these hospital stuffs that were supposedly health care workers, they did not even notice that my mom was turning yellow when we were there for the two weeks. They had the gall to call my mom after her passing to confirm her appointment.

I can tell you that in NCC, they are a bunch of incompetent fools, how can a medical professional be so foolish to make appointment at such a later date when he knew her condition was not encouraging? How can he just ignore the kidney tumor and thought the one on the brain is more important? What kind of idiot would do such a thing when it comes to cancer?

I have a friend in US, her grandmother is a little older than my mom, she was also diagnosed with stage 3 lung cancer, the doctor in US said the same thing, the diagnosis is not good, she did not have much time, there is not much you can do with stage 3 lung cancel, chemo will only delay it so long but with bad side effects.

Even with these gloomy situation, when my friend and his family opted out of using chemo, the doctor put her on a medication called Tarceva immediately, it is a proven medication to treat lung cancel, the old lady was up and about for a year and a half with the medication before she passed, she did not have any pain nor was she in anyway in capable of having a normal life for that year and a half, my friend told me they thought she was getting better. The doctor in US did not delay or discourage any treatment or give any ill advice.

NCC has a way to go before I will even trust them.

Ng Eng Hen's wife is the top honcho managing all these Sinkie hospitals.

So who did you or your family vote for?

Oh I forgot, you Sinkie voted for this and you get the gov you deserved.

So don't complain, hor! LOLoLoLoL

 

[eatshitndie]

Sucks be Singaporeans! In angmo countries such treatments are paid by garmen!

PAP shouldn't win a landslide because it allowed such things to happen!

in the u.s. the tab will cum up to over us$2m if you don't have at least 80% covered by medical insurance. in cases of late stage cancer with little probability of survival or remission, it's better to let one's life end with dignity rather than going through chemo which only prolongs one's suffering for months or a few years. oregon allows dignified death in such cases, and california is putting up a bill in sacramento to follow suit.

 

[winnipegjets]

Noone in sinkieland should be left alone. Cancer treatment should be paid by it's government.

Vivian will tell you ...what kind of treatment you want ...sinseh, third world doctors or Mount E? PAP believes that you should be self-sufficient. If you cannot afford medical care, then you accept your fate of death.

 

[spotter542]

Pappies are damn stoopid not to legalize medical marijuana

 

[GoldenDragon]

hey, i did my teeth implant last year. guess what.

i tried to call National Dental Centre. the price is almost same as private clinic.

...... and have to wait for months.

 

[GoldenDragon]

A pity Dr Thambyah wont be able to question GKY in parliament over health matters. He would have made a difference. All 6 combined no match with Paul in his speciality.