[ad_1]
In 2008, at eight months of age, Raphael Lee was diagnosed with rhabdomyosarcoma in the left forearm.
He underwent treatment for this rare form of soft tissue cancer for a year and the disease went into remission.
But in 2016, when Raphael was a Primary 2 student, he was diagnosed with osteosarcoma or bone cancer. It started again in his left arm and eventually spread to his right clavicle and both lungs.
On November 13, the 12-year-old boy died of complications from the surgery.
Her parents, Mr. William Lee, 47, and Ms. Winnie Lee, 45, yesterday collected the results of the Alexandra Elementary School Elementary School Completion Exam (PSLE) on her behalf.
Raphael, their only son, had scored 220 points, with an Ace in math and science and a B in English and mother tongue.
Mr Lee, who works as a course director at the humanitarian non-profit organization St John Singapore, said: “We expected his life to be shortened, but we did not know that death would come so soon.”
“We told him our focus was not on his studies, but on his health. We were saying, ‘Do your best, no stress,’ but he wanted to prove himself.”
The Catholic couple said that Saint Bernadette Church, which they attend, as well as Raphael’s school have been very supportive during this challenging period.
Raphael’s teachers often visited him in the hospital and at home, and brought him school work.
They also frequently sent video clips of class activities to update him on what he had missed and transmitted greetings from his classmates to encourage him.
When Raphael was diagnosed with bone cancer in his left arm in 2016, he underwent cryotherapy, which involved the use of liquid nitrogen to destroy cancer cells.
But the following year, doctors found another swelling near his left wrist and said amputation was inevitable.
Mr. Lee said: “Raphael was devastated when he heard that he had to lose his arm. But we told him the hope was that we would sacrifice the arm in exchange for his good health in the future.”
The boy then took it easy, he said, managing to smile and cheer on family and friends who visited him after his operation.
Last year, another tumor was discovered on the right clavicle. “It took the entire medical team by surprise because they all thought the amputation would end the episode,” said Mr. Lee.
In March of this year, an MRI showed that the cancer had spread to his lungs. It had operations in April and May.
Ms Lee, who left her job as a child care teacher last year to take care of Raphael, said: “We tried to convince him to put off his PSLE until next year, to give his body time to recover. But he wanted to do it like this year because he didn’t want to have to take him in a new environment and a new class.
Raphael was on targeted therapy, or oral medication, when he was taking his roles.
While the drug did not compromise her immunity, it did cause serious side effects such as diarrhea.
I went to the bathroom six to seven times a day, up to an hour at a time. When he got out of the bathroom, he would be all sweaty and exhausted, Ms. Lee said.
“But no matter how tired and sick he was, he wanted to go back to school because he enjoyed it and he loved spending time with his friends.”
In August, Mr. Lee himself was diagnosed with stage 2 colon cancer in the large intestine.
“Raphael was a sensible and thoughtful boy. He was concerned that he did not know how to deal with treatment.
“He said to his mom, ‘Why does dad have to have cancer? Why not let me have it instead, since I have more experience and have been through chemotherapy before?’
“I was very moved by this. I told him not to be silly. I said, ‘It’s so easy to tell you to be brave and strong; now is the time to lead by example and show you that I can do it too.
[ad_2]
