By Elysa Chen

JUST a day after Ms Adniah Ayob celebrated her 31st birthday on 26 Jun, her doctor told her she had second stage breast cancer.

Ms Adniah, a beauty therapist, said: 'I thought everything would be all right at first, because I had insurance.'

The policy she bought in 2007 was an enhancement of the MediShield plan. But she was not aware that she could make claims only after her bill has reached $3,000 for the year.

She said: 'When I found out that my insurance didn't cover all the expenses, I panicked, because the cost of treatment is so high, how can I pay so much?'

She has had to pay a few hundred dollars so far, and she has been told that her six-month treatment is likely to cost about $8,000. She expects her insurer to pay a part of this.

A recent straw poll of 100 people by The New Paper showed that four in five did not know they had to pay a certain amount, known as the 'deductible', before they can start making claims against their insurers for enhanced MediShield plans.

Of those who knew about this, only nine knew their exact deductible amount, which can vary depending on the policy.

Some felt there was not enough public information on these plans, while others saw no need to read up on them as they felt the Government would take care of them.

Comprehensive information on the four schemes which help to manage health-care costs here is available on the CPF Board and the Ministry of Health websites.

Ms Adniah, who has only primary school education, said she was not aware of what type of policy she bought. She had paid the premium of $150 a year through her Medisave account.

She and her delivery driver husband have a combined household income of less than $2,000 a month. They live with their three children, aged 14, 10 and 8, in a two-room flat at Circuit Road.

She has a diploma as a nail technician and has been working at a beauty salon. But just when things were looking up, she was struck with breast cancer.

She said: 'Now, it's like everything's back to square one. I'm so frustrated. Why must this happen to me?

'But I'll just take it as a test that I have to go through.'

Ms Adniah had discovered a lump in her right breast in April. She had gone to a polyclinic in May, and was referred to Singapore General Hospital.

The lump was eventually diagnosed as being cancerous, and she realised she would have to undergo chemotherapy.

Treatment cost

The cost of the treatment is a huge burden for Ms Adniah.

The surgery to remove the lump cost around $500 and depleted what she had in her Medisave.

She has now started chemotherapy and is struggling to pay her bills.

Her husband has about $2,000 in his Medisave and she has also spoken to a counsellor about getting help.

She has had to reduce the amount of time she spends at work after she was diagnosed with the disease. But her employer is also chipping in to help.

Ms Adniah said: 'I'm worried about what's coming. If we do not have money, how will I take care of my children?'

But colleagues describe her as a 'fighter', and she said she is 'prepared' for the challenges that lie ahead.

Keeping positive

This year, she is preparing to sit for her diploma as an aesthetician (someone skilled in beauty treatments), and will continue working as a part-timer at the salon.

To save up for the cost of treatment, her husband has also been working as an odd-job labourer on his days off.

Ms Adniah's employer, Ms Hazel Menon, said: 'They truly want to make life better for themselves, but they keep getting beaten down due to circumstances that are not their fault.'

To help Ms Adniah, Ms Menon is organising a fund-raiser. This week, proceeds from some beauty services at two salons, Beauty Affairs and Revive Skin Lab, will go towards her treatment.

Ms Menon, the director of both firms, said about $1,400 has been raised so far.

She said: 'We hope her insurance will cover some part of her treatment, so that there will be more money for her family.'

This article was first published in The New Paper.