Thursday July 6, 2006

By G.C. TAN

ALOR STAR: Coffeeshop assistant Tan Kia Khim, who underwent a successful operation in China to remove a large facial tumour, will be discharged soon from the Fuda Cancer Hospital in Guangzhou.

“He is in good health and will be discharged this month,” Fuda vice-president and Associate Professor Dr Niu Li-Zhi said in an e-mail interview from China.

Dr Niu said Tan, 25, would have to return to the hospital to undergo a facial reconstruction operation three months from now.

He added that Tan was now able to have normal meals and walk around the hospital.

FACING A BETTER TOMORROW: Tan before and after the operation (right).
He can now eat normally and walk about in the hospital.

“He mixes well and has made friends with a few nurses in the hospital,” he said, adding that the hospital had moved Tan to the same ward as another Malaysian, Hong Siew Hui, who had a similar surgery.

He said Tan's company would be good for Hong, 18, who had to undergo several surgeries to remove her facial tumour.

Tan, from Kampung Berjaya, and Hong, a school-leaver from Taman Bersatu, Simpang Empat, both from Kedah, arrived at the hospital 46 days ago and were operated on a day apart.

While Tan’s surgery was carried out within one day, Hong had to undergo several operations.

On June 29, Hong underwent the second stage of treatment for more than two hours to reduce the size of her tumour.

”She is in stable condition and is resting in her room. A CT scan showed that the portion of the tumour which underwent treatment on June 7 has already been destroyed and the tumour is smaller now,” said Dr Niu.