For years, Kon Chiaoram's wife Pud has suffered from breast cancer. All he wants is for her to have proper medical treatment at a decent hospital in Bangkok. Even though this is a matter of life and death, both of them still hesitate only because they cannot afford the medical bills, not to mention accommodation in the capital, which is far from their hometown.
So when Kon and Pud received an offer from medical staff to receive free treatment at the Queen Sirikit Centre for Breast Cancer, as well as a free place to stay at Pink Park Village, they did not give it a second thought.
"When the medical staff told me that we didn't even have to pay transportation expenses, we agreed to receive the treatment," said Kon. His wife is of Cambodian nationality and barely speaks Thai.
Pud is among those who stay at the experimental phase of Pink Park Village, Thailand's first hospice for terminal-stage breast-cancer patients. Located in Bangkok's Nong Chok district, Pink Park Village is operated under the Queen Sirikit Centre for Breast Cancer Foundation (QSCBC) and is expected to offer full services next year.
"Everyone at Pink Park Village was very kind," Kon added. "The hospice was beautiful and comfortable. It was like a paradise."
Despite years of advocacy, breast cancer still wreaks havoc in Thailand. According to a 2017 report from the National Cancer Institute, breast cancer still ranks No.1 in terms of new cancer patients in the country. This is followed by liver and bile-duct cancer; colon and rectum cancer; and lung cancer. An estimated 13,000 Thai women are diagnosed with breast cancer every year -- equivalent to 35 people per day. The number is expected to rise.
Pink Park Village is surrounded by greenery.
On a global scale, data from the World Health Organization (WHO) states that breast cancer is the most frequent cancer among women, impacting 2.1 million each year. Cancer of the breast is also attributed to the greatest number of cancer-related deaths among women. Last year, it is estimated that 627,000 women died from breast cancer, which accounts for around 15% of all cancer deaths among women worldwide.
The idea of a hospice -- a sanctuary for terminally ill patients -- is still new in Thailand. And under Thai law, Pink Park Village has to register itself as a small-sized hospital so that it is allowed to provide basic medical services.
"If it is registered as a nursing home, we can't provide some drugs, such as intravenous morphine, to patients," said renowned breast-cancer specialist Assoc Prof Dr Kris Chatamra, the man behind Pink Park Village.
At Pink Park Village, there are three buildings. Two hospice buildings have a capacity of 16 people (one patient for each room). The third building serves as a convalescence centre -- for patients who live in the provinces but have to undergo chemotherapy or radiotherapy courses for weeks at the QSCBC. Supported by Central Group's Women Project, the convalescence centre provides shelter for eight patients, two in each room. Two shuttle buses also are available to bring patients back and forth from the hospice to QSCBC, located at King Chulalongkorn Memorial Hospital.
Dr Kris Chatamra. Photo: Chanat Katanyu
Situated on a 121 rai plot, the hospice provides standardised medical services -- from cutting-edge equipment to aesthetically appealing and patient-friendly design. A large pond in the area surrounded with lots of trees and colourful flowers complements a beautiful and natural landscape.
"The architectural design was changed three times to make cheerful and comfortable nurses' stations," Dr Kris recalled. "There is a terrace in front of each patient room. A patient can sit outside for fresh air or sit inside the room to see the garden from a glass door. All furniture and equipment are practical, including electric beds and non-slip bathrooms. There is no multiple-bed room at the hospice buildings; otherwise, when someone passes away, others will see. Each room is connected to exits, which are hidden behind trees," said Dr Kris, also founder and director of the QSCBC.
What's special about Pink Park Village is that it caters only to the impoverished. These patients will be screened and selected through the network of the Thai Red Cross Society and King Chulalongkorn Memorial Hospital.
"Many people disagree with me," said Dr Kris. "They question if impoverished people deserve these kinds of services. But this is how I would take care of my relatives. And people who supported my ideas eventually helped out by donating lots of money."
Services at Pink Park Village focus on nursing and palliative care rather than providing medical treatment. To enhance the skills of nurses and medical staff, they are trained for three months in a course organised by the hospice.
"Training is conducted on an annual basis," the specialist added. "A chief nurse and myself wrote a course syllabus. The training emphasises three things -- dignity, pain-control and comfort. This means patients must be treated with dignity and that patients won't experience pain. We will use anything to cope with pain, including drugs and acupuncture. Patients will also feel comfort both physically and mentally. For instance, in the morning, a patient will be asked which dish she would like for breakfast. We have four kitchens, including a kitchen for Muslims.
A patient room at the hospice.
"Small details are crucial. I told a patient at the hospital that she didn't have to worry about a thing, even about her funeral. We will take care of it. She could forget all the problems she had been through. I don't know if there really is a paradise, but I want them to be in paradise before they die."
The construction of Pink Park Village is nearly complete. Yet Dr Kris still feels like there are some hiccups that need to be fixed before it fully operates.
"Last week," he said, "there was a storm. So we just found out the first building had a water leak. I noticed that trees that surround the buildings are not as tall as those that are further away, which could be a result of unhealthy soil. Everything must be perfect."
In future, Pink Park Village is expected to offer daycare activities such as a dance-therapy session. And if donations are sufficient, Dr Kris wishes to build a cancer-rehabilitation centre to restore confidence among patients. After that, he believes that breasts are a significant organ and a symbol of womanhood, and that many patients have a hard time coping with the feelings of losing them.
"Women who have been through breast cancer lose their confidence after undergoing chemotherapy. Some of them lose their hair and have to wear wigs. Some shut themselves off from society. These patients need to be rehabilitated. We wish to have doctors, nurses, psychologists, psychiatrists, group therapies, pain control and physical therapy under one roof. It is our duty to help patients, so they could come back and be part of the society," the surgeon concluded.
Visit qscbcfoundation.org/donate for donations.
