SEPANG: Carrying the message that cancer is not the end of life, stage four breast cancer patient Sarlinawati Abdul Mues, 48, has embarked on a 12-day, three-nation Europe tour across Austria, Italy and Germany to raise funds for patients in need.
Sarlinawati, from Bangi, Selangor, is the only woman in the convoy, which includes 17 male members from a Klang Valley motorcycling club.
Along the journey, she will meet cancer fighters in several countries, hoping to inspire them to keep battling the disease.
“Cancer does not mean you cannot do anything. If treated early and by following doctors’ advice, it can be cured with modern treatment,” she said at Kuala Lumpur International Airport (KLIA) before departing for Milan, Italy, on Friday.
The send-off was officiated by Datin Seri Azlin Hezri, wife of Health Minister Datuk Seri Dr Dzulkefly Ahmad, and attended by Sarlinawati’s mother, Shariffah Faridah Syed Mohd Yusoff, 72, along with family members.
Diagnosed in June 2021, Sarlinawati has been actively riding solo on motorbike missions at home and abroad to lift the spirits of cancer patients.
She is also the founder of Himpunan Kanser Semalaya, which provides moral and daily support for cancer fighters.
She said funds raised will be channelled to patients who cannot afford treatment and medication.
On returning home, she plans a solo tour of 22 countries, starting in Malaysia and riding through Thailand, China, Nepal, Pakistan, and Saudi Arabia before heading to Europe, in collaboration with the National Cancer Society of Malaysia (NCSM).
“My goal is to raise as much as possible so more patients can receive treatment,” she said.
Her mother described Sarlinawati as resilient after her own recovery from cancer. Shariffah said she herself suffered a stroke in July 2023 but drew inspiration from her daughter’s strength.
“If she can fight her illness, why can’t I? I give her my full support and always pray for her safety and success,” she said.
© New Straits Times Press (M) Bhd
