A 33-year-old mother of four from Western Province is fighting for her life in Port Moresby after she was diagnosed with cervical cancer in 2013.
Helen Pasa is from the Bamu area of Western and husband Nicholas Kimbi of Chimbu Province. They strive to make ends meet in the city by selling betelnut.
Nicholas is well known by the rugby union fraternity as ‘Hulk’. He does odd jobs around the Bava Park to bring something home for his family and has been doing so for the past 20 years.
His wife was diagnosed with cervical cancer in 2013 after the birth of their youngest child.
Port Moresby General Hospital’s Obstetrics and Gynaecology department on 28 November, 2016, diagnosed the stage of her cancer at 3B and she now needs immediate radiotherapy.
Stage 3 of cervical cancer means that the cancer has spread away from the cervix and into surrounding structures in the pelvis (the area between the hip bones).
Stage 3B means the tumour has grown through to the pelvic wall or is blocking one or both of the tubes that drain the kidneys (the ureters).
Pasa said the cancer has affected her menstrual cycle.
Her eldest daughter is 16 years old and in Grade Six while her youngest child is 4 years old.
“Mi stap osem tasol. Mi sa drink Penedol tasol lo kilim pen,” she told Loop PNG today. (I just live like this. I take Panadol to ease the pain.)
She experiences aches around her pelvic area to her back and her only form of medication is a pain reliever.
Early last month, the NCD Rugby Union brought her to the Pacific International hospital. Scans also showed she had stage 3B cervical cancer.
According to the President of the NCD Rugby Union, Cybele Druma, a sponsor came on board to assist the family travel to Lae however, they are now told there is no specialist in the Lae cancer unit.
She said Port Moresby should have the best facilities to treat cancer. Unfortunately, that is not so in this modern age.
“What’s the point of having policies when the people don’t access the services they need?” Druma added.
For Helen, the next option now is overseas treatment. Treatment in Manila, the Philippines, is what they are looking at but they need assistance. They intend to get herbal treatment while waiting.
Helen is one of many women in the country fighting this silent killer among women.
Anyone willing to assist the couple can contact President of the NCD Rugby Union, Druma, on 75656977 or on cybeledruma@gmail.com. They can also do so through Frank Makanuey on 72448318 or woodstonesa@outlook.com.