06-05-2025
Woman believes she is pregnant, diagnosed with stage four liver cancer
BALING: A woman initially believed she was pregnant after noticing her growing abdomen, but was later diagnosed with stage four liver cancer, which had caused her stomach to fill with fluid.
Norsiah Hashim, 35, said that nearly a year on, her stomach has grown even larger, resembling a full-term nine-month pregnancy.
"I was diagnosed with liver cancer last July after both of my legs became swollen," she said.
"After undergoing checks at Sultanah Bahiyah Hospital (HSB) in Alor Setar, doctors confirmed I had liver cancer and also detected issues with both kidneys.
"It was a shock because everything happened so quickly, and my abdomen kept growing until I looked heavily pregnant," she said at her home in Simpang Tiga, Kampung Bok Bak, Kupang today.
Norsiah said she has become increasingly uncomfortable, struggling to walk, easily breathless, and now needs a walking stick to move around slowly at home.
She also said that her emotions are unstable—she often feels irritable and overly sensitive.
Her husband, Mohd Zaki Md Isa, 36, also suffers from chronic kidney disease and is unable to do strenuous work, frequently fainting at his workplace.
"He used to work as a driver for a telecommunications company, but had to stop after his health declined," she said.
"Since then, we've lost our main source of income and now rely entirely on monthly aid from the Kedah Zakat Board (LZNK) for food and travel costs to HSB in Alor Setar."
Norsiah's father, Hashim Lahman, 72, who lives with them, also has vision problems and underwent surgery in 2022.
Her eldest brother passed away in November last year due to oral cancer.
"My second sister, Siti Hajar, who's in her 40s, is a deaf and mute person with disabilities (OKU), and her only son, Muhammad Syukur Md Zuki, 20, is also an OKU. They live with me too.
"My sister helps us cook and manage the household since I've fallen ill. Both she and her son receive assistance from the Social Welfare Department (JKM) as they hold OKU cards," she added.
Whenever Norsiah needs to visit HSB, her husband must rely on friends for transport, as he's too unwell to drive long distances.
"The journey to Alor Setar is costly due to fuel, meals, and other expenses.
"The doctor told me I need a donor for liver cancer surgery, but there's been no donor so far.
"My health is deteriorating, and my husband now has to undergo dialysis three times a week for his damaged kidneys," she said.
The couple also has a four-year-old daughter, Nur Aira Medina Mohd Zaki, who has suffered from seizures since infancy.
Meanwhile, Cancer Survivors Malaysia (CSM) chairman Zuraini Kamal, visited the family and donated cash and household essentials.
