Kantarawaddy Times
There is always one phrase in Daw Aye Myar’s mind: “Then the Lord God formed a man from the dust of the ground and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life, and the man became a living being.” (Genesis 2:7, from the Christian Bible).
Daw Aye Myar recites this Bible verse in the Kayah language at least ten times a day. Every time she does, she believes she is receiving strength from the God she worships and trusts.
Moreover, she says that this verse gives her mental strength in her battle against throat cancer.
Perhaps because of that unwavering belief, Daw Aye Myar has been able to live with a life-threatening illness like throat cancer and has gradually recovered health, like any ordinary person.
“As long as I remember to recite this verse, I do, and it’s what gives me strength,” says Daw Aye Myar.
She has been reciting this verse regularly for over a decade. In 2015, she was first diagnosed with throat cancer.
Even though the word “cancer” only has two syllables, any type of cancer can take away countless lives. That’s why it’s such a terrifying disease.
During her ten-year battle with cancer, Daw Aye Myar received medical treatment for two years. She began treatment in 2015, and the treatment was completed in 2017.
During that time, she faced not only financial difficulties but also the side effects of radiation therapy. At times, it felt like she had reached death’s doorstep.
During the radiation treatment period, Daw Aye Myar couldn’t eat rice for four whole months. Her body was reduced to skin and bones. She could no longer walk properly and had to be carried home by others.
“When I was in intense pain, people who visited me cried. But I didn’t shed a single tear. After each injection, I would fall unconscious,” she says.
She had to travel from the western part of Demoso to Taunggyi for treatment. Sometimes, on appointment days, she had to return to Loikaw from Taunggyi by bus or van all on her own, without any caregiver.
While she was suffering from cancer, her 10-year-old son also had a heart condition. The medical costs for both of them were extremely high, especially for a displaced family during conflict.
In the end, her son couldn’t survive the illness and passed away right before her eyes.
“It didn’t affect me mentally. Why? Because my son was also sick. If I lost my mental strength, who would take care of my children? After my son passed away, it hurt so much. But I had to stay strong for my daughter. Who would support her education? Who would care for her?” says Daw Aye Myar.
Yet, through the strength she drew from her belief in that verse, she overcame all these hardships.
After the 2021 military coup and the armed conflicts, Daw Aye Myar’s family had to flee to southern Shan State. From there, she lived in an IDP (internally displaced persons) camp and worked daily for her survival like an ordinary person.
“As an IDP, I worked every day for daily wages. I couldn’t do much. People were surprised by the way I could work like that. I couldn’t eat as much as others. I had to eat slowly, in small amounts. Swallowing is not easy. I wanted to eat like others, but my stomach couldn’t handle it. When I see others eating, my mouth would be watering. However, when I couldn’t buy them, I would look for fruits around the yard,” she says.
Even now, Daw Aye Myar, who once went four months without eating rice, still has to eat it slowly and cautiously. There are also foods she must avoid.
Currently, she has returned to her native village, so life is no longer as difficult as when she was displaced. Her cancer is gone, and she now spends her days doing household chores.
Although she no longer needs cancer medications, she still has to take nutritional supplements regularly to maintain her immunity.
“I use the money I earn to buy supplements. That’s how I manage,” she says.
No matter what difficulties faced, Daw Aye Myar proved that with faith alone, anything can be overcome. Today, she is happily living the rest of her life with her family.
Her belief still remains strong.
“I’m still alive today because God willed it. I believe I’ve been granted life to this day because I kept reciting that Bible verse,” Daw Aye Myar concludes.
