Paced Featured On Lianhe Wanbao

Yep yep... That was me indeed on yesterday's 联合晚报 (Lianhe Wanbao).

The front page...


The article...


Translation of the main article on the left column...
Initially, the nose-bleeding was thought be to just "heatiness", but not only was nose cancer diagnosed half a year later, the cancer had metastasized to the bones and liver and doctors only gave her 6 months to live.
26-year-old Jasmine cried a few times as she emotionally spoke of how over the last 2 years she had escaped death to recovery.
"My first nose bleed was in 2005 during Lunar New Year. I thought it was because my body was too "heaty" from eating bbq food. The nose bleeds then gradually became as frequent as weekly affairs. The doctor initially thought that the nose bleeds was due to the haze."
She went to see a specialist when the swollen lymph nose at her neck, which grew as huge as a ping pong ball, caused her to unable to turn her head.
Upon diagnosis, the doctor arranged for 32 sessions of radiotherapy. However, she still experienced fevers and pains felt in her back got worse.
When the doctor sent her for a PET scan, it was discovered that the whole scan was filled with black spots, with a large one in her liver.
On the same day the PET scan results were out, she was sent to received chemotherapy immediately. The doctor told her parents to "be prepared, as she has only 6 months to live."
"But, I recovered miraculously." The scans did after her chemotherapy ended in December 2005 showed that tumors were all gone.
She stopped taking oral drugs in September last year and cancer has not relapsed since.

Translation of the "square" article on the left column...
Heading: "I've grown up" Hopes to join the media to share cancer battle experience.
Jasmine felt she has "grown up" through this experience, and has decided to upgrade herself. Upon her recovery, she enrolled to study in a degree program in Mass Communications and would want to join the media industry upon graduation.
She also wishes to help her friend set up a website to share their experiences and give enouragement to other cancer patients.

Translation of the article below my picture...
Heading: Felt like chopping off the waist area due to the pains.
Between sobs, Jasmine said, "There was just pain in my lower left back initially, but when the pains spread to the entire back area around my waist, I can't sit or stand properly. It felt as if there was someone stabbing me with a knife. Even after taking painkillers, the area felt sore and aching."
Intense pains would make her cry, telling her parents and her boyfriend that if her waist area could be chopped off, she "would be ok." But her parents and her boyfriend were giving her great support. "Though my mum's and boyfriend's eyes were watery, they never once cried in front of me. So I told myself I have to get well because of their strength and support."

Translation of the article on the right...
Heading: Don't wish to die uglily; receives treatment positively.
During the treatment period, Jasmine lost 10kg as she always have no appetite. She keep telling herself she "cannot die ugily" and use this as a pushing force to stay positive.
Her weight dropped to 35kg, and her hip bone was very visible. Like other cancer patients who received radiotherapy, her skin was darkened as though it was sunburnt and her hair dropped.
"I was scared of death and did not want to die so uglily. I was only 24 and had yet to acheive anything. I have yet to been to my favorite baseball and soccer teams' matches, have yet to tour Turkey, Greece ..."

Thanks to reporter Hg Hui Min, I had a chance to share my experience! Hope I can be an inspiration to other out there who are battling to not give up! Ganbatte!

Email me at jas[dot]paced[at]gmail[dot]com if you guys want a copy of the scan for easier readability... I can't find a way to deal with the compression that happens after uploading the file