Yuniko Deviana enjoys her life fighting cancer

Can people with cancer enjoy life? Ask Yuniko Deviana and she will surely tell you they can.
Yuniko, who was diagnosed with breast cancer in 2002, now feels healthy and happy. In her productive life, Yuniko travels a lot while sharing her knowledge as a management trainer.
As a cancer survivor, Yuniko also shares her experience on how to deal with the disease.
Yuniko eats healthy foods, spends enough time to get rest and pays attention to her mental health. "Enjoying life, positive thinking and maintaining peace at heart. This is my formula for better mental health," Yuniko said.
Working out is a must, but Yuniko admits she is still struggling to get exercise regularly. She prefers reading books or listening to music.
Yuniko loves books on psychology and philosophy and reads fiction only occasionally.
"I don't have a favorite author. I even forget who writes what," she said, laughing.
Yuniko enjoys slow music to calm the soul, and loves listening to Whitney Houston songs, but cited REM's Everybody Hurts as one of her favorites. "It is so touching."
Yuniko, who obtained her masters degree in a private school of management in Jakarta, established the Cancer Information and Support Center (CISC) in 2003.
"This is my personal commitment. I want to do something for the cancer community," said the 42-year-old single mother with a little girl.
Yuniko recalls her own experience when she discovered a lump in her breast which later forced her to have a mastectomy and chemotherapy.
Had she found this lump sooner, Yuniko might not have needed to have this treatment.
The experience has led Yuniko to now encourage women to do regular breast examinations because the sooner the disease is detected, the easier it is to treat.
Anyone can contract cancer. It is a real problem for women all over the world (including Indonesia), but for many women the word "cancer" is something to avoid.
Once, when CISC was invited to talk about cancer in a government office, only six people showed up.
"We need to be smart in conveying our message about cancer. For example, we can talk about it in arisan (traditional social gatherings). People are usually happy to attend arisan," she said.
Yuniko said there was no use in regretting, denying or blaming anyone.
"Face it bravely and optimistically to beat it," says Yuniko.
Cancer seems to have inspired Yuniko to become a better person, to work harder in leading her life in a more meaningful way.
Now Yuniko wants to help people further by writing her book, I Have Cancer, It Doesn't Have Me. In this little booklet, Yuniko talks about her experiences, reflections and hopes as a cancer survivor. Unfortunately the book, which was published by Obor last year, is only available in the Obor bookstore in North Jakarta which mostly sells Christian books.
Yuniko is preparing another book which is expected to be available in general bookstores. Meanwhile Yuniko is actively running the CSIC, aiming to provide moral, emotional and social support for cancer patients and their families.
The cancer group organizes regular visits to Cipto Mangunkusumo Public Hospital in Central Jakarta and Mitra Keluarga Hospital in Kelapa Gading, East Jakarta.
Once in a month the group also hold a support session in Menteng, Central Jakarta.
Cancer patients who need help can call CISC volunteers at any time and, if necessary, volunteers can come to their place to provide support.
"Our activities run well because of the wonderful sincerity, tolerance, sisterhood and friendship. We see our differences as something beautiful," Yuniko said.
"My personal obsession is to make CISC an open, independent and heterogeneous organization with shared leadership," she said.
Despite its modest appearance, CISC has attracted quite a lot of people. Its cancer survivor gathering held early this year was attended by between 300 and 400 people. But Yuniko does not know how many members or volunteers it has because "they come and go".
The group is currently in need of volunteers who are technologically savvy, to make its plain website (http://cancerclub.wordpress.com) more attractive.
"We don't know how to do it," Yuniko said.
Yuniko may not know much about web design, but she does have many strengths of her own. CISC has good rapport with professional medical organizations, cancer organizations, hospitals and doctors thanks to Yuniko's soft-spoken, tactical approach.
Regarding public complaints about unprofessional doctors Yuniko urges patients to remain patient. "Let's be realistic. Doctors are not perfect. If you don't have the information you need because the doctor is not in a good mood, just leave and come back later," she said, suggesting that patients should also try to find information they need from various sources before seeing a doctor.
Yuniko believes Indonesia has many good doctors but said patients need to choose carefully to find one they are comfortable with.

I wrote the story for The Jakarta Post, published Sunday Aug.31, 2008.

http://old.thejakartapost.com/detailfeatures.asp?fileid=20080831.C01&irec=1

Siti Aniroh wants cancer survivors to be brave and smart

A lawyer asked his client: "Now that you have been acquitted, will you tell me truthfully? Did you steal the car?"

"After hearing your amazing argument in court this morning, I'm beginning to think I didn't," the client replied.

Although this is a lawyer joke, such an exchange would not be so out of place in the real world. After all, it's easier to find bad lawyers than good lawyers. Lawyers, as well as police, judges and prosecutors, have poor images in this country. So, when Siti Aniroh was diagnosed with cancer last year, some people related it to her being a lawyer.

"When I got cancer, many said: 'That's because you didn't earn your money in a righteous way -- that's why you have the disease'," said the 32-year-old, who became a lawyer after she graduated from law school 11 years ago.

She felt as if people were accusing her of distorting facts, making false testimonies and making money unlawfully.

"I felt so bad. I can't deny that many of my friends might do that, but thank God, I didn't," she said. She later quit her job, not because of public criticism, but out of love of her family.

It was her husband, Iwan Setiyawan, who suggested she resign so she could have more time to herself and with their only child, Awan Cahya Aditya.

Ani said he had asked her to resign long before she became sick and that they had often argued over the matter. "I learned a lot from him. He knew that I was stressed out at work. I know he wants the best for me," she said.

"I am fully aware that it is really hard for a lawyer to uphold idealism. I decided to resign being fully aware (of my decision). I longer need (professional) status. I don't need to pursue material wealth.

"Maybe it is time for me to do good things for others without expecting anything in return. God willing, He will give me prosperity in other areas," said Ani, who is now an active member of the Cancer Information and Support Center (CISC).

Ani first felt the lump in her left breast in March 2006. Her tiring journey to find the right doctor and her experiences in fighting cancer are journaled in her recently published book No one is happy to have cancer, be brave and smart.

Being outspoken, she strongly criticized doctors who showed little empathy toward patients or treated them rudely -- a bitter reality the Indonesian medical world currently faces.

Instead of accepting her criticism, a doctor who was upset by her book said Ani was just trying to justify her own foolishness through her writing.

Even though it is hard to find books on breast cancer in local bookstores, Ani said no publisher wanted hers. Eventually, she gave the softcopy to a publisher and was told: "We have hundreds of books to publish and they are more interesting ... If you want, you can wait."

A brave, smart, determined and persistent young woman, Ani published the book independently with support from her family and friends, including those from the CISC.

Throughout her illness, she has received support from the CISC, and was eventually invited to become a volunteer.

"The CISC is colorful ... there, information is flowing, and there are valuable lessons about life you'd never find in any school," she said.

During the group's gathering, members discuss many things besides cancer and also take part in recreational activities, including dancing and singing.

Ani speaks about cancer whenever a suitable occasion arises, including on the radio and at a local women's Koran reading class.

To maintain her health, the cheerful woman eats healthy food and practices meditation and yoga at least three times a week at home.

Yoga helps strengthen the mind as well as the body -- both of which are crucial in defeating cancer.

She also loves gardening, which is known to be therapeutic for cancer sufferers. The patience required in gardening helps a sufferer strengthen his resolve in coping with chemotherapy treatment and unfriendly doctors.

Besides, watching plants grow can inspire cancer patients to live.

Ani was born on Sep.7, 1977, in Cilacap, Central Java, and went to a high school in Yogyakarta. She studied law at the Indonesian Islamic University, where she majored in corporate and banking law. She moved to Jakarta in 1988 upon graduating.

When she was a child, Ani wanted to become an agriculture engineer because her father was a farmer, and was also interested in becoming an accountant as her mother worked as a trader.

She studied law "by accident" because it was the only department which accepted her after she failed in her enrollment tests in several other places.

"So I just let it flow," said Ani.

And she also lets her life flow. She is steadfast in her fight against cancer.

http://old.thejakartapost.com/detailfeatures.asp?fileid=20080831.C01&irec=1

Satu jam di CT Scan

Hari ini aku menjalani CT scan lagi atas anjuran bu dokter. Ia merasa prihatin setelah melihat hasil bone scan-ku hari Jumat, 15 Agustus 2008. Dibandingkan dengan 3 bulan yll, ternyata ada penyebaran baru. Karenanya ia menyuruhku CT scan untuk melihat apakah ada organ tubuh seperti paru-paru, ginjal atau liver yang terkena.
Aku membuat janji dengan Dr. Hadi, ahli radiologi di RS Pluit, untuk CT scan hari Rabu, 20 Agustus 2008 jam 13:00. Sepuluh menit menjelang waktu yang ditentukan, suster menelpon untuk memastikan kehadiranku. Waktu itu aku baru saja keluar dari pintu tol Pluit. Agak mepet waktunya, karena jalan tol Cawang macet luar biasa dan di tengah jalan tiba-tiba mobilku tersendat-sendat. Khawatir kalau mogok di jalan tol, aku segera keluar di pintu tol Rawamangun. Lalu mengisi bensin sebanyak 10 liter. Sebetulnya bensin masih ¾ penuh, jadi ini spekulasi saja. Mudah2an kalau bensin penuh, bisa lancar kembali. Minggu lalu mobil baru masuk bengkel dan filter bensin sudah diganti, tetapi belum kuras tangki karena tak ada waktu. Ahh.. untung lancar… ! Leganya....
Tapi di Pluit ternyata aku sempat nyasar sehingga terlambat hampir 30 menit.
“Sudah menjalani pemeriksaan darah?” tanya petugas di depan pintu bertuliskan Radiologi.
“Kalau belum, nanti harus diperiksa dulu untuk melihat apakah fungsi ginjal baik. Ada tambahan biaya Rp 40 ribu,” si mbak yang mengenakan seragam merah cerah menjelaskan.
Biaya CT scan thorax, abdomen dan pelvis dengan kontras masih sama seperti akhir tahun lalu, yaitu Rp 4.570.000. Alatnya canggih dengan metode 64 slices.
Layanan bagian radiologi bagus. Setelah berganti baju pasien, aku mengikuti suster ke ruang CT scan. Aku berbaring, lalu lengan kiri ditusuk untuk diambil darahnya dan jarum infuspun ditancapkan untuk memasukkan obat.
Meja tempat aku berbaring perlahan-lahan bergerak masuk ke dalam mesin scan. Proses scan awal hanya beberapa menit. Lalu aku disuruh minum obat satu cangkir penuh dan duduk di ruang tunggu. Lumayan juga, perut yang keroncongan jadi kenyang. Hehehhe… Dari pagi aku hanya makan sepotong roti isi selai strawberry bikinan Sari Roti yang rasanya menurutku kok nggak terlalu enak. Lapar ditahan karena harus puasa.
“Silakan sambil nonton TV,” kata suster yang ramah sambil menyalakan televisi. Acaranya Sesame Street yang di Indonesia-kan menjadi Jalan Sesama (bukan Jalan Wijen ya?).
Setengah jam kemudian suster yang lain datang dan ia mengantarku ke ruang scan yang rasanya kian dingin saja.
“Silakan berbaring miring ke kiri,” katanya dengan sopan.
Tibalah saat yang sangat tidak menyenangkan. “Disodomi,” begitu istilah salah satu suster berusaha bercanda tapi ... ah, cuekin aja. Obat dimasukkan melalui dubur. Nggak enak banget… Rasanya seperti mau mules. Tapi yach, apa boleh buat, terpaksa ditahan.
Setelah itu badanku kembali masuk ke mesin scan.
“Tarik nafas…,” begitu aba-aba lantang dari operator mesin.
Aku menarik nafas dalam-dalam sambil berusaha menerapkan tips dari ahli yoga yang menasehati kita agar jangan bernafas terlalu cepat. Lebih lama kita menarik nafas, lebih baik. Eh, belum selesai menarik nafas, sudah ada perintah “Tahan…” lalu disambung dengan “Bernafas biasa…” Prosesnya sangat cepat.
Scan diulang beberapa kali dan obat juga dimasukkan melalui lengan kiri. Ketika obat masuk, rasa sedikit nyeri dan panas menjalar ke seluruh tubuh sementara bagian anus terasa seperti digigit semut karena pengaruh obat.
Untung... ini hanya sebentar.
“Selesai,” kata suster.
Waktu aku melihat jam, ternyata seluruh proses dari saat aku ditusuk hanya makan waktu 1 jam. Cepat sekali..
“Jarumnya tidak dicabut, biarkan dulu selama 15 menit supaya nanti kalau ada reaksi pusing atau mual kita bisa memasukkan obat melalui sini,” kata suster.
Biarpun ada jarum infus tertancap di lengan kiri, tapi tidak terasa sakit.
Suster menganjurkan aku minum air banyak-banyak agar obat larut.
Setelah minum air hangat 1 gelas, aku ke toilet karena perut melilit. Sebagian obat keluar, tapi hanya sebagian saja… Sementara aku berjuang sambil merenungkan nasib negara (hehehe.. emangnya.. !), suster memanggil-manggil namaku. Rupanya ia khawatir karena aku terlalu lama di WC….
Baik juga ya susternya…
Karena reaksi tubuhku bagus, tak ada rasa mual atau pusing, jarum infus lalu dicabut dan aku diperbolehkan pulang.
“Hasilnya bisa diambil besok setelah jam 1 siang,” kata suster.

(Sementara itu tadi aku mengirim email ke bu dokter, melaporkan kalau sudah CT scan dan hasilnya baru akan ada besok. Tak lama kemudian datang balasannya: "ok, all the best for the results." Bu dokter pasti sibuk, tapi kok sempet2nya ia membalas emailku ya... Yach.. aku memang beruntung bertemu dengan banyak orang baik.)

*** News Update: Hasilnya sudah keluar, thank God... ternyata lumayan ok, ga gitu jauh dengan pemeriksaan sebelumnya. :)

Applegate Underwent Breast Removal to Stop Cancer

Actress Christina Applegate Had Double Mastectomy, Is Now 'Free' of Cancer
By BRIAN O'KEEFE and LEE FERRANAug. 19, 2008
A month after being diagnosed with breast cancer, actress Christina Applegate, 36, is "100 percent" cancer-free, she told "Good Morning America's" Robin Roberts in an exclusive interview.
"I'm clear. Absolutely 100 percent clear and clean," the star of ABC TV's "Samantha Who?" said. "It did not spread -- they got everything out, so I'm definitely not going to die from breast cancer."
But the price she paid for that peace of mind was high.
To be sure the cancer would be completely excised, and that there would be a reduced chance of it returning despite Applegate testing positive for the BRCA1 breast cancer gene, the actress opted to have both her breasts removed in an operation known as a prophylactic double mastectomy, even though cancerous lumps were only found in one breast.
"My decision, after looking at all the treatment plans that were possibilities for me, the only one that seemed the most logical and the one that was going to work for me was to have a bilateral mastectomy," Applegate said.
Three weeks ago, she had the dramatic operation rather than undergoing other longer-term treatments like radiation or chemotherapy.
"I didn't want to go back to the doctors every four months for testing and squishing and everything. I just wanted to kind of get rid of this whole thing for me. This was the choice that I made and it was a tough one."
Though she will be undergoing breast reconstruction surgery over the next eight months, Applegate said the emotional toll has been heavy.
"Sometimes, you know, I cry. And sometimes I scream. And I get really angry. And I get really upset, you know, into wallowing in self-pity sometimes. And I think that it's all part of the healing," she said.
But Applegate is healthy and calm now, due to both her unflappible sense of humor -- "I'm going to have the best boobs in the nursing home" -- and the powerful inspiration she gained from her mother, Nancy Priddy, a repeat breast cancer survivor.
"She's been sort of this quiet warrior in the back and has been a great support, and just telling me that I was going to be OK. And I knew I was going to be OK. I've watched her," she said.

Nobody Happy With Cancer, Be Brave and Smart.

Satu buku bagus telah terbit. Judulnya Nobody Happy With Cancer, Be Brave and Smart.
Buku ini ditulis oleh Siti Aniroh, 31, seorang penyintas kanker yang tahun lalu menjalani kemoterapi dan mastektomi.
Meskipun judulnya berbahasa Inggris, tapi isinya ditulis dalam bahasa Indonesia dengan gaya bertutur yang santai dan mudah dicerna.
Dalam buku ini kita dapat mengikuti kisah Ani melawan kanker, mulai dari saat ia mencari dokter yang pas, saat kemoterapi dan saat pemulihan. Semuanya diungkapkan dengan jujur dan lugas. Menyentuh dan memberdayakan.
. Kita dapat merasakan betapa marah dan frustrasinya Ani saat ia menghadapi dokter yang memperlakukannya dengan kasar dan dingin tanpa rasa empati sedikitpun.
. “Saya bukan hanya merasakan sakit kepala, tapi perut saya juga mules, wajah saya terasa sangat panas karena menahan marah, dan ini yang teramat tidak masuk akal saya dengar dari mulut seorang dokter ahli kanker,” tutur Ani.
. Tujuh dokter telah dijumpainya, tapi Ani masih belum mendapatkan titik terang akan penyakit yang dideritanya. Ia baru memperoleh informasi yang jelas dan layanan medis yang tepat dari dokter ke delapan. Sayangnya, dokter ini praktiknya di Singapura.
. Pengalaman Ani merupakan cambuk bagi tenaga medis di Indonesia. Jelas bahwa Indonesia mempunyai banyak dokter yang baik, tapi di sisi lain masih perlu adanya peningkatan layanan, baik dari sisi personal maupun professional.
. Membaca buku ini, kita juga dapat merasakan keharuan ketika Ani berkisah tentang rambutnya yang gugur karena kemoterapi dalam bab berjudul “Botak tapi Keren”.
. “Banyak hal yang membuat saya menangis dan tertawa karenanya,” tulisnya.
Ia tersenyum saat anaknya yang berusia 6 tahun, Awan, berkata: “Wah… keren Bunda.”
. Tapi suatu saat Awan marah sekali setelah Ani menyambutnya tanpa penutup kepala ketika ia pulang sekolah dengan mobil jemputan.
. “Awan tidak suka Bunda botak, teman-teman di mobil mengejek dan aku malu…”
. Dengan sedih, Ani mencoba memberikan pengertian bahwa tak perlu ia risau karena teman-teman itu mengatakan demkian tanpa mengerti apa yang terjadi pada kita.
. Kesedihan Ani tak menyurutkan semangatnya dalam menghadapi semua ini. Ia tabah, berpikir positif dan memiliki rasa humor yang tinggi.
. Hal lain yang digarisbawahi oleh Ani adalah hak-hak pasien. Ia menekankan bahwa pasien kanker harus memperjuangkan hak-hak mereka, yaitu:
1. Hak atas informasi.
2. Hak memberikan persetujuan
3. Hak memilih dokter
4. Hak memilih Rumah Sakit
5. Hak atas rahasia kedokteran
6. Hak menolak pengobatan
7. Hak menolak tindakan medis tertentu
8. Hak untuk menghentikan pengobatan
9. Hak atas second opinion
10. Hak melihat rekam medis (medical report).
. Buku ini perlu dimiliki oleh pasien dan keluarganya, dokter dan semua orang yang peduli akan kanker.

Pada hari Sabtu, 16 Agustus 2008 bertempat di The Peak, Sudirman Apartment, Jl. Setiabudi Raya 9, Jakarta, akan diadakan acara Bedah Buku dengan menampilkan penulis, dr. Walta Gautama, SpB.Onk, dan Yuniko Deviana.
Yuniko adalah penyintas kanker, pendiri Cancer Information Support Center dan penulis buku I Have Cancer, It Doesn’t Have Me.
Untuk informasi harap hubungi 021 98672298, 08129926719 atau 0816822868.



English Version:

Breast cancer survivors write inspiring books

T. Sima Gunawan, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta

Nobody Happy With Cancer, Be Brave and Smart
Siti Aniroh
PT Awan Tisani
2008

I Have Cancer It Doesn't Have Me
Inspirasi yang membangkitkan Daya Hidup
R. Yuniko Deviana
Penerbit Obor
2007

Books on breast cancer written by local authors are hard to find despite the fact breast cancer is a real problem facing millions of women all over the world, including many in Indonesia.

One of these rare books, Nobody Happy with Cancer, Be Brave and Smart, has just been launched and is available in bookstores. The 32-year-old author, Siti Aniroh, underwent chemotherapy and a mastectomy in 2007.

Ani, as she is fondly called, writes about her experiences with courage, right from the first moment when she found a lump in her left breast. She tells her touching and empowering story with clarity and honesty.

We feel how frustrated and distressed Ani became when she met a cold-blooded oncologist who treated her rudely.

Instead of responding to her questions about her disease, the doctor denigrated her, saying a housewife like her was not supposed to ask critical questions

"Not only did I have a headache, I also had butterflies in my stomach. My face became hot because I was holding back my anger; it was unthinkable such words could come out of an oncologist's mouth," said Ani.

Ani is a housewife. She also used to work as a lawyer before she resigned and becomes active as a cancer volunteer.

After seeing seven doctors, she still did not really know what the matter was. With her eighth doctor's visit, she finally got clear information and the right treatment.

Unfortunately, the doctor practices in Singapore.

Reading Ani's account, we empathize when she relates how her hair falls out from the chemotherapy in the chapter "Bald but Cool".

"So many things made me cry and laugh," said the author, who has never lost her great sense of humor.

She laughed when her six-year-old son commented on her bald head, "Wow, that's cool, Mom".

But one day her son got mad at her after some of his friends saw her without any head covering.

"I don't like your bald head. My friends made fun of me and I was embarrassed."

Ani tried to make him understand he should not have been upset because his friends did not know what happened to her.

The difficulties did not discourage her fighting spirit. She remains strong and persists with her efforts to lead a healthy and positive life.

Losing hair is one of the negative side effects of chemotherapy because the drugs kill not only cancer cells but also healthy cells. Other side effects include nausea, mouth ulcers, fatigue, diarrhea, and increased perspiration.

In Ani's case, she felt extreme pain in her bones, especially her molars, and general body aches which made her groan and cry. Somehow she managed to cope with the torturing pain.

Ani does not mention in her book that different people may react differently to chemotherapy. This writer is also a cancer survivor who dealt with hair loss and mouth ulcers but continued to work and even drove to the hospital for the regular chemotherapy treatments.

This account gives no scientific explanation about cancer. It is purely about a cancer survivor's experiences. In telling how she struggled against the disease, Ani underlines the importance of patients knowing their rights. Those rights include the right to clear information, the right to choose the best doctor, the right to ask for a second opinion and the right to reject medical treatment.

Ani is the second cancer survivor in Indonesia to have written a book about it. Yuniko Deviana is the author of I Have Cancer, It Doesn't Have Me and the founder of the Cancer Information and Support Center. Aniroh has followed in her step, taking an active part in the organization as well.

Even though both books have titles in English, they were written in plain Indonesian, in the first person to be easy to understand.

Like Ani's story, Yuniko's is also informative and inspiring. Diagnosed with breast cancer in 2002, Yuniko offers many useful, practical tips every cancer patient needs to know.

The book gives answer to many questions like "Why me?" and "Can I be cured?"

She opens her book with: "'How happy are those people who are healthy. Not like us.' I often hear my cancer survivor friends saying this to themselves."

Her experiences as a cancer survivor who is constantly helping others with the disease makes her understand how they feel and what they need.

"Learn to accept cancer as something ordinary, not to reduce the seriousness of the treatment but to prevent ourselves from overreacting," she said.

Both of these books can help cancer patients, their families and friends as well as doctors and others who care about cancer.

http://old.thejakartapost.com/detailfeatures.asp?fileid=20080831.H14&irec=14

Berkebun yuukk...

Berkebun ternyata bagus untuk melawan kanker. Di Georgetown, sebuah kota di Amerika, ada organisasi nirlaba Hope in Bloom yang khusus membantu penyintas kanker berkebun.
. Tenaga sukarela dari organisasi ini datang ke rumah penyintas kanker yang masih menjalani pengobatan dan menanami kebunnya dengan aneka bunga sesuai permintaan.
. “Ini adalah hadiah yang luar biasa,” kata Kathy Makiver, 46, yang tahun lalu menjalani pengobatan kanker payudara dan sekarang terkena kanker rahim sehingga perlu dikemo.
. Kathy senang dapat bersantai di taman yang indah dan menikmati hobi berkebun bersama Hope in Bloom, yang sudah membuatkan taman bagi 41 pasien kanker.
. “Berada di taman bunga atau berkebun menurunkan tekanan darah, meredakan stres, dan mengurangi rasa cemas,” kata Roberta Dehman Hershon, pendiri Hope in Bloom.
. Berbeda dengan karangan bunga yang mudah layu, taman yang dirawat akan berkembang semakin indah. Bahkan dapat membantu pasien dalam proses penyembuhan.
. “Pasien saya yang kebunnya ditanami merasa nyaman, ada efek kesembuhan serta sungguh menyenangkan,” kata Dr. Gerburg Wulf dari Breast Care Program di sebuah rumah sakit setempat.
. Ketika taman Paula Cavallaro ditanami bunga-bungaan tahun lalu. Pensiunan guru yang menderita kanker payudara itu berkata dalam hati, “Aku ingin hidup untuk melihatnya bersemi.” Dan iapun tetap hidup.
. “Aku ingin sesuatu yang indah dan cantik, serta teduh,” ujarnya. “Juga tempat burung-burung singgah.”
. “Senang sekali bisa keluar dan menyiangi kebun dan menanam. Menyentuh tanah dan terlibat dengan kegiatan alam. Hidup adalah siklus. Bunga berkembang dan mati dan ada tunas baru di musim semi. Hidup kembali. Ini memberimu harapan.”

http://www.boston.com/news/local/articles/2008/07/31/planted_with_love_gardens_help_cancer_patients_heal/