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Whenever someone brings up cancer, it is almost like a taboo. “Don’t talk about it,” many say, afraid that the words alone could be contagious. But cancer is becoming so common that we need to talk about it to bring about more awareness. Sadly, in 2014, cancer overtook heart disease as the number one killer in Malaysia. In fact, with the availability of medical advancement, detecting cancer early can saves lives. Most type of cancer have up to 95% chance of being cured.

According to a research article published by BMC Medicine this year, people who are diagnosed with cancer in Southeast Asia face scary odds with over 75% of patients experiencing death or financial catastrophe within one year.

Whether it is due to the ageing population or more rampant adoption of cancer-associated lifestyle behaviours (like smoking), cancer rates are increasing. The article showed that in 2012, there were estimated to be over 750,000 new cases of cancer in the region. This is expected to rise to 1.3 million per year by 2030. The research also show that survival rates for most cancers are poor and quality of life is greatly impaired.

One aspect of life that is compromised is the financial aspect. When one is stricken with cancer, their finances are inevitably affected. Often, cancer patients resort to out-of-pocket (OOP) payments for treatments. It starts off with the primary treatment but subsequently cancer patients must deal with long-term costs of adjuvant therapy and follow-up care. It could be financially catastrophic to the entire household when one member of the family is diagnosed with cancer, especially among the poor and under-insured groups of people.

Things may not be so bad financially if the cancer patient is able to contribute to the household income. But sometimes cancer overtakes the patient and they are unable to work. What then?

Cancer adds on a heavy burden in terms of medical expenses on top of everyday financial commitments like housing mortgages, daily expenses and childcare. If a cancer patient who is also a breadwinner at home loses the ability to provide for these expenses, then all of these financial commitments become huge burdens. This is where having good cancer protection plan plays a vital role in maintaining a certain quality of life even when one is diagnosed with cancer.

A complete cancer protection plan offers households the security and protection from having to come up with the extra money for exorbitant payments for illness. However, the extent of financial protection through insurance depends on which health services are covered and the level of subsidy offered. The article by BMC has also found that there is an urgent need for more resources to aid early detection and policies aimed to provide adequate financial protection from the costs of cancer

AIA’s A-Life Cancer360 offers coverage up to the age of 80 and the entry age is from 14 days old up to 60 years of age.

Its unique key benefits includes

To take the first step for a complete cancer protection plan, log on to: http://www.aia.com.my/en/individuals/products-and-services/health/a-life-cancer360.html