Minister of Health and Welfare Shi Chongliang said today that the New Cancer Drug Fund has invested approximately 10 billion yuan in the past two years and will invest another 6 billion yuan next year to accelerate the inclusion of effective cancer drugs into health insurance benefits. Wu Yixuan, a 23-year-old anti-cancer fighter, shared that she underwent surgery for a pancreatic tumor at the age of 13, leaving a 23-centimeter scar on her abdomen. Ten years later, she wrote a song about her illness and stood on stage.
The Taiwan Cancer Foundation held the 20th Top Ten Anti-Cancer Fighters Award Ceremony today, with Shi Chongliang presenting the award. He said that the Cancer Drug Fund was established last year in the hope of reducing the burden of drug costs. He also quoted the president’s statement about the fund, “If there is a certain amount of relief, then you must replenish it.” That is to say, you will replenish as much as you use.
Shi Chongliang said that National Health Insurance will introduce next-generation genetic sequencing (NGS) testing in 2024, hoping to make cancer treatment more personalized. This year, it will also promote a breast cancer care quality payment plan and integrate patient care. He pointed out that the stage at which cancer is diagnosed is crucial to the prognosis, and the government continues to expand screening and promote Helicobacter pylori screening and sterilization. As for the assistance cancer patients need to return to school, work and daily life, this year we will start with psychological support and continue to integrate resources.
Wu Yixuan went to the doctor for abdominal pain at the age of 13, and was found to have a 12-centimeter-long low-grade malignant solid pseudopapillary tumor on the head of the pancreas. She said that the operation removed the gallbladder, duodenum, part of the stomach and half of the pancreas. She did not undergo chemotherapy, but she was admitted to the intensive care unit due to complications and massive vomiting of blood. During the recovery period, I suffered from repeated inflammation and abdominal pain. There was no end in sight, and I most often asked God, "Why me?"
With her family accompanying her all the way, she also found sustenance in the dance videos of Korean girl group TWICE and determined to become a singing and dancing singer. She named the scar on her abdomen "Caterpillar". This year she held a "(RE)Birthday" performance under the stage name "Lu Xi". She wrote three songs for the performance. She also moved her medical records, images and medicines from that year to the venue, and collaborated with the Taiwan Cancer Foundation to hold a charity event and donate part of the proceeds.
Wu Yixuan said that she has recovered now, but her digestion is still affected by the surgery. She has to take digestive enzymes with every meal and stool softeners every day. During the performance, she discovered that patients with similar experiences could find resonance in the song, and they also found the strength to move forward from her experience. This allowed her to slowly find the answer to the phrase "Why me?"
The age of this year's top ten anti-cancer warriors winners ranges from 23 to 79 years old. Wu Yixuan wrote a song about her pancreatic tumor surgery and recovery experience; Hua Zhongqi practiced singing again after oral cancer surgery and went into schools and communities to promote smoking cessation and cessation of alcohol; Zhang Huilan was diagnosed with leukemia before the junior high school entrance examination and went through After relapse and bone marrow transplant, he returned to the Department of Medicine; Chen Yanru completed 5 full marathons after treatment for leukemia and served as a visually impaired companion; Lin Qiye joined a patient group after suffering from prostate cancer to help promote screening.
Ye Junwei was diagnosed with epithelioid sarcoma and metastasized to the lungs. He taught himself music and wrote a song about his emotions during chemotherapy; Huang Shufang experienced the recurrence of breast cancer and hearing loss, and devoted herself to volunteer service for patients for more than 20 years; After Chen Jingqiang underwent colorectal cancer surgery, he retired and devoted himself to rehabilitating people. He also led community elder activities with his wife, who is also a cancer patient; Guo Weiting suffered an amputation due to epithelioid sarcoma and shared his one-handed life through the community to accompany his patients; Chen Jinghui taught herself handmade soap during the treatment of triple-negative breast cancer and used her handwork to communicate with patients who were newly diagnosed.
