PADANG TERAP: While most 18-year-olds are thinking about their futures, Muhammad Adam Hamizan's main concern is providing for his family.
The eldest of three children has given up on plans to further his studies, opting instead to work as a grocery store assistant for RM20 a day to help put food on the table for his cancer-stricken father, mother and two younger siblings.
Aside from working at the grocery store, Adam also looks after his father, Mansor Abdullah, 42, and helps his mother send his younger siblings to school when necessary.
Up until last year, the family relied on Mansor's income as a rubber tapper. Then, he started having recurring fevers and was brought to a health clinic in Pedu.
"The doctor discovered he had a high white blood cell count and immediately referred him to Sultanah Bahiyah Hospital in Alor Star for specialised treatment," said Adam.
Now, Mansor has to undergo chemotherapy three times a month at the hospital which is some 45 minutes away.
Adam, who is Mansor's primary caregiver, accompanies him for the chemotherapy treatments.
"The hospital stays can stretch to two or three weeks, depending on my father's condition.
"Each trip costs at least RM100 for meals and other expenses."
Presently, Adam said the family has an overdue hospital bill of RM225.
"I could only pay RM50, forcing me to borrow the rest," he said, adding the family's financial woes were mounting.
"My daily wage barely covers our needs, and I often take unpaid leave to care for my father during his hospital stays.