Beyond the Distance: Wilma Goes the Extra Mile for Her Community

For many cancer patients, the journey does not begin and end at the hospital.

For those living in rural communities, simply getting to the hospital can be a challenge of its own, one that can involve long distances, difficult roads and limited access to transportation. For Community Navigator Wilma, this is a reality she understands deeply because she comes from a rural community herself.

Wilma works alongside a nurse to prepare equipment and arrange the space before patients arrive, ensuring everything is ready to provide the support they need.

In Sibu, Wilma has seen how distance can become a barrier between patients and the support they need. She hopes to conduct social welfare visits to patients living in areas such as Matu, Daro, Sarikei, Kanowit and Mukah. But reaching them is not always straightforward.

Many patients live far from Sibu Hospital, and some of these rural areas do not have access to e-hailing services such as Grab. Their homes are often located away from town centres, making it difficult for Wilma to travel to them without suitable transportation.

“I really understand and concern about patient challenges, especially those patients who stay in rural areas because I’m also from a rural area.”

Wilma speaks with a patient at her bedside while engaging with her family member, offering support and guidance throughout their care journey.

For Wilma, this is more than a logistical challenge. She knows that when a patient wants to continue treatment but cannot easily travel, the barriers can quickly become overwhelming.

And transportation is only one part of a much longer journey.

A journey with many barriers

Before becoming a Community Navigator, Wilma thought the role would mainly involve helping patients with appointments, providing information and supporting them through their treatment.

But she soon discovered that every patient carries a different set of challenges.

“Every single patient has obstacles. Some people have trouble with transportation, money, family obligations, treatment anxiety, or just not knowing what to anticipate.”

She learned that receiving a cancer diagnosis is only the beginning. Patients may need to attend multiple appointments, undergo investigations and treatments, while at the same time managing work, finances, family responsibilities and transportation.

In a private setting, Wilma takes the time to listen, care and explain, ensuring the patient understands the information and support available to her.

A patient may want to continue treatment, yet still face practical barriers beyond their control.

This is where Wilma believes patient navigation can make a difference.

Choosing to serve the community she knows

Wilma chose to serve her own community because she understands its people, culture and challenges.

“I feel that this is where I can make a meaningful contribution.”

Being from the same community also helps her connect with patients and create a space where they feel more comfortable sharing their concerns.

But interestingly, becoming a Community Navigator or also known as Social welfare officer in a laymen’s language was never part of Wilma’s original plans.

She had not even heard of Cancer Research Malaysia before joining the team. On her first day, she remembers thinking that she would probably not stay for more than two months.

Then something changed.

At the hospital counter, Wilma attends to a patient while others wait their turn, helping patients navigate the next steps in their cancer journey.

The first time a patient thanked her and smiled because of the help she had provided, Wilma experienced a sense of satisfaction she had not expected. It made her realise how valuable her role could be to people in her community, particularly patients facing financial and practical difficulties while continuing treatment.

She even began to wonder: if she left, who would her patients turn to?

That realisation ignited something in her.

Sometimes, the most important thing is simply listening

Wilma has also learned that supporting a patient is not always about having an immediate solution.

Sometimes, it is about being present.

One patient who was initially reluctant to share her personal circumstances gradually became comfortable enough to open up after Wilma took the time to listen without judgement.

It reinforced something Wilma had learned through experience:

“Sometimes we don’t need to immediately provide a solution. We just need to give the patient a safe space to talk.”

That lesson is reflected in a simple message from a patient that Wilma still remembers:

“Terima kasih sebab dengar cerita saya.”

“Thank you for listening to my story.”

And another:

“Saya pun tak tahu nak cerita dengan siapa… nasib baik ada awak untuk dengar.”

“I didn’t know who I could talk to… luckily, I had you to listen.”

To Wilma, these words may sound simple, but they carry a deeper meaning. Sometimes, patients do not expect someone to solve everything. They simply need someone willing to listen, understand and stay with them.

Beyond the distance

Wilma’s experience is a reminder that cancer care extends far beyond diagnosis and treatment.

For a patient living in a rural community, the distance to a hospital can be one of many obstacles standing between them and the care they need. For others, the barriers may be financial difficulties, family responsibilities, treatment anxiety or simply not knowing what to expect next.

Community Navigators help bridge some of those gaps connecting patients to information, support and the people who can help them move forward.

And for Wilma, every patient who manages to overcome one barrier is a reminder of why she continues to do what she does.

“If I can help one patient overcome one barrier and continue their treatment, I feel that I have already made a difference.”

During a home visit, Wilma reaches beyond the hospital walls to connect with patients in their own communities, providing support when it is needed.

This Pink October, we recognise not only the patients who continue to fight, but also the people who walk alongside them, sometimes across long distances, difficult roads and challenging circumstances to make sure they do not have to face the journey alone.

Cancer Research Malaysia thanks our generous donors, supporters and well-wishers whose continued support helps make patient navigation possible and brings vital support closer to the communities that need it most.

There is still much more to be done. With your support, we can continue helping patients overcome the barriers that stand between them and the care they need.

Together, we can go the extra mile for every patient.