Karina is a three-year-old girl who has lost her mother and brother to HIV. Karina’s father is a gentle spirit, also suffering from HIV: now, they only have each other. The family moved to Jakarta from their village to earn a living.  Karina and her father are living in a car park during the day […]

There are many stories that are left untold in the daily travels of Rachel House’s nurses – stories tucked deep in their hearts that speak of great devastation. This is a story of a little boy’s brave journey. Miki was 6 months old when problems began. It started initially with a simple cough… that never […]

Patient history “Mom, I know I am dying. What is the point of spending more money on chemotherapy when we know it will not make the cancer go away! Please save the money for a business you can start when I am no longer here.” These words, spoken with such wisdom from a 14 year-old, […]

Patient History Siti was the only child of a young couple from West Jakarta. She was first diagnosed with cancer in July 2007, a year after she had fallen in the shower while still learning to walk. According to Siti’s parents, the fall had resulted in a bad wound around her coccyx that never healed, […]

What Rachel House Means to Me – A Mother’s Perspective Lala, my daughter aged 6 and half, was diagnosed with advanced stage Neuroblastoma on January 12, 2009. At the time, we were still living in Canberra where I was pursuing further studies on a scholarship. When Lala had a relapse in April 2010, we (Lala, […]

A Day in the Life of a Rachel House Nurse – by Jasmine Cross It takes Susi two and a half hours to reach Rachel House’s satellite in North Jakarta. A long, tiring journey by motorbike through the heavily congested streets of Jakarta, but it is essential. Her motorbike provides a lifeline to her patients. […]

Patient history “Sister Luki, I am calling to say I have missed you and all the nurses at the hospital…” This was a call that came in April 2010 that reconnected Zaidin to help. Zaidin is 14. He has been fighting cancer for over 2 years. In the middle of his battle, his mother died […]

Patient history Baz was 7 years old when he was first brought to our attention in February 2008. He had been sent home by his oncologist with poor prognosis of no more than a few months to live. He had neuroblastoma. But as soon as Baz arrived home, he insisted on going back to school, […]

Patient history Siska was the eldest of a family of 2 children. Her story is a great human tragedy. It all began when Siska came home from a 3-day camping trip with bad stomach pain and high fever. After multiple visits to doctors and alternative medicines, Siska was finally referred to Dharmais Cancer Centre (“RSKD”) […]

Patient history Netty was admitted at midnight on Friday, 6th February. She had insisted on going home after leaving Dharmais National Cancer Hospital, refusing to be admitted to Rachel House. However, by the evening of her first day home, we received a panic call for help as Netty had trouble breathing. Netty suffered from end-stage […]