Having led a carefree and simple life for most of her lifetime, Malia Binte Jantan was shocked when she was first diagnosed with kidney failure. She felt that there was no prior indication that she was suffering from any major illnesses, hence when doctors told her that both her kidneys were failing, it was a concept she found difficult to grasp. Malia recounted, “I never imagined that I could be suffering from kidney failure as I thought that it was a disease that happens gradually and that there would be more apparent symptoms before the end stages. But looking back, I probably should have taken better care of my health, be more alert to the changes and conditions of my body and go for regular check-ups especially as I got older.”

Malia saw her illness as a setback that she had to overcome. She had also wanted to show to her family that her independence would not be affected by her condition. With these two motivations, she adapted to a lifestyle that included regular dialysis treatments and medications while she continued working to support herself and her increasingly hefty medical bills. Her acceptance of her illness as well as a strong spirit to lead life as normally as she could was made easier by the incredible moral support that her family had given to her.

Malia has always been grateful for her big family. She is the fifth child in a family of 12 siblings and she is thankful that even though most of her siblings are already married with families of their own, they still remain a close-knitted unit. When she first discovered about her illness, her family was the pillar of strength that she relied on. They spurred her on with words of encouragement and never failed to be there for her whenever she needed help.

She also attributed her positive outlook on her situation to KDF, “Dialysis treatments and medications are expensive and I was working as a cleaner with very little income. Therefore, when I was accepted into KDF’s program in 1997, I was very relieved that part of my medical fees will be subsidized. This had, of course, made me less worried of my financial wellbeing.”

In 2002, through a cadaveric renal transplant, Malia thought she was given a chance for a renewed life without dialysis treatments. She underwent the kidney transplant with much hope but unfortunately, the transplant failed and she was subsequently put back on dialysis. She recalled then, “Initially, I felt quite upset. It was like a golden opportunity was dangled in front of me but when I grabbed that opportunity, it turned out to be nothing more than a smokescreen. But, I realized that maybe this was destined and I had no control over why my body had rejected this perfectly healthy kidney.”

Once again, she reverted back to her pre-transplant routine of regular dialysis treatments. Just as she was getting settled into her lifestyle yet again, she was faced with another barrier. Not long after her failed transplant, Malia broke her leg and had to move around assisted or in a wheel-chair. Her situation was made worse then as she could no longer work to support her daily expenses and her medical bills.

When even the strongest might falter with a series of setbacks, Malia remained optimistic. She believed that it is only when she thinks positively that she is able to nurture more energy into making her situation better and hence achieve happiness. She admitted, “There are days where I ask myself, ‘Why me?’ I accepted my illness and am willing to take care of myself through this illness. So why am I stumbling upon obstacles which impedes my fighting spirit? But then, I would quickly toss aside all these thoughts and work on getting the best out of my situations.”

Some of the positivity in Malia’s life stems from having a family who has helped her stay positive throughout her ordeals from the very beginning. As she could no longer support herself, her siblings came together and decided to chip in, helping her with her medical treatments and daily expenses. Malia had also approached KDF to review her situation and was granted more subsidies for her dialysis treatments and medications.

These days, Malia occupies herself with helping out as much as she could with the household chores and keeps herself focused on taking better care of her health. Gone were the days where she could eat all the things she had desired; she is now more conscious of her diet. She candidly expressed, “Sometimes, I do crave for certain types of food and will maybe have a bite of it if I really cannot resist the temptation. But most of the times, I don’t have such cravings. I feel like before I was sick, I had enough of eating all these unhealthy stuff, so it’s time to treat my body better now.”

When asked whether she had any departing words of wisdom, she enthusiastically stated; “Your health is your wealth. Don’t take it for granted. If you feel unwell, seek treatment and don’t wait till your condition worsens. You are responsible for your own health.”

Certainly an advice worth taking!