Cancer Survivors Find Strength in Parish Support Group in Kuala Lumpur

In a meeting room at St. Ignatius Church in the suburban city of Petaling Jaya, Malaysia, cancer survivors gather regularly to share experiences that few others fully understand.

The parish comes under the Archdiocese of Kuala Lumpur.

About 40 members, many of them living with or recovering from cancer, form part of a support group that has been meeting for nearly a decade under Family Life Ministry of St Ignatius Church. The group provides a space where participants speak openly about the realities of illness, treatment, and faith.

Members travel from parishes across the archdiocese to attend the monthly meetings at St. Ignatius Church. They speak about the physical and emotional toll of cancer, from surgeries and treatments to long-term medication and its side effects.

“There are also many small things that only survivors can relate to,” said Percey Chiew, who initiated the support group in 2016. “In between we joke and laugh at ourselves.”

Chiew, 68, believes that sharing personal struggles has helped members cope with their illness. “The more we share, the lighter the burden becomes,” she said. “In choosing to see Christ in one another, we begin to see hope where there was despair.”

Most members belong to St. Ignatius Church, but the group welcomes anyone seeking support, including caregivers. Some members can no longer attend meetings regularly because of declining health or post-surgery recovery. Even so, they remain connected through phone calls, home visits, prayer, and an active messaging group where members check in on each other.

Caroline Joseph, 43, often drives more than an hour from Seremban to attend the meetings. A parishioner of the Church of the Visitation, she said her diagnosis of ovarian cancer initially left her asking why such suffering had come into her life.

“Later, I realized that Christ was crucified. Wasn’t that unfair, too?” she said. “I always ask God for strength, and now I feel He is testing how I use that strength.”

For many members, the group offers both emotional and spiritual support.

Francis Khoo, 78, described the community as “meaningful and useful,” particularly through the prayers members offer for one another during treatment.

“The most important thing is prayer for successful treatment and no relapse,” he said. “Prayer gives us comfort and assurance that God is with us.”

Khoo lost his voice box to throat cancer after the disease spread during treatment. A second round of radiotherapy risked paralysis, leaving surgery as the only option. Unable to speak, he shared his reflections through a message read by his wife.

“I was frustrated because I used to talk a lot,” he said. “But through meditation and prayer, I began to find peace.”

Ann Poon, 75, is facing cancer for the second time after previously surviving breast cancer. Persistent pain in her jaw was later diagnosed as another form of cancer.

“I feel strong and have only minimal side effects from radiotherapy,” she said. “I am thankful to be alive.”

Kim Ang, 70, who was treated for lymphoma, said even small gestures in the group have taken on new meaning.

“I used to be irritated by ‘good morning’ messages,” she said. “But in this group it matters. When someone says good morning, it reminds us that being alive today is a blessing.”

Pauline Ng, 79, also spoke about her recent treatment for thyroid cancer, which required several days of isolation following radioactive iodine therapy. The diagnosis came decades after she had survived uterine cancer.

“Faith helps me face these challenges,” she said.

Ng and Stella Voon, 66, are among the group’s founding members. Voon continues to reach out to survivors who are unable to attend meetings because they are homebound.

The roots of the support group go back to Chiew’s own experience with cancer. She was diagnosed with breast cancer in 1994 and underwent multiple surgeries over the years, including a major bypass procedure in Perth, Australia.

During that period, she relied largely on family and friends for support. After her recovery, she felt called to create a similar support network for others facing cancer.

While in Australia, she first discussed the idea with Sunny P. Abraham, a Carmelite priest serving at the Church of the Infant Jesus, who encouraged the initiative.

After returning to Malaysia in 2015, Chiew joined parish activities at St. Ignatius Church. The following year, with the support of Family Life Ministry coordinator Shelagh Nunis and the approval of then parish priest Andrew Wong, the cancer support group was formally established.

The group meets on the second Saturday of each month and occasionally organizes talks on topics related to illness and caregiving. Recently, Jesuit priest and cancer survivor Larry Tan spoke to members about coping with spiritual dryness during illness.

Beyond meetings, the ministry provides practical support. The Family Life Ministry distributes vitamin supplements, including amla, an Indian gooseberry rich in vitamin C, while its coordinator, Leonard Lim, regularly attends gatherings to better understand members’ needs.

On one occasion, Lim arranged transport for members to make a pilgrimage to the Church of St. Jude, about 30 kilometers from Petaling Jaya.

Chiew, who lost her husband to colon cancer in 2017, believes that parish communities can play an important role in supporting those living with serious illness.

“The church is a place where people can find understanding, spiritual guidance, and companionship,” she said.

She has also documented her own experience in a book titled My Journey with Breast Cancer Continues.

For the members who gather each month, the support group has become a place where illness is faced collectively, through conversation, prayer, and the quiet reassurance that no one has to endure the journey alone.