The Story of a Teen: 10 Years Overcoming Osteosarcoma Bone Cancer
Arbi
“I raised Arbi by myself, ma’am,” said Been, Arbi’s father, when we first met that night. My heart skipped a beat as I braced myself not to cry while hearing a story I knew would be tear-jerking.
“Arbi’s mother passed away when he was 8 years old…” he continued.
“Breast cancer.”
Oh no, that’s tragic.
I could cry if it’s like this.
I cherish my cheap makeup.
“So you’re single, right?” I joked to lighten the mood.
“Still single…” Been replied firmly.
“I don’t have a girlfriend either,” I said, noticing he was unsure of what to say next.
“Not having a girlfriend doesn’t mean you’re single like you,” I continued, grinning.
“You’re about to cry, aren’t you?” he cleverly guessed.
“I still cry when I talk about this… I’ve brought a small towel.”
Arbi’s mother had undergone surgery for a lump in her left breast. A few years later, cancer attacked the other breast with a more aggressive type.
Blood sometimes oozed from the pores of her breast—not seeping, but gushing.
And when the bell of life ceased to ring, even a tsunami of tears would not be able to stop her departure. 😭
Been had to keep moving forward with two children who knew nothing. It wasn’t easy for him to live with almost no resources to fight for the recovery of his beloved wife.
The house and all their possessions were sold. At that time, Been could only afford to rent a small room for the three of them. He slept in the middle, between his two children. They lived supporting each other amidst their limitations.
Nothing would escape his notice, no matter how small the developments of his children.
And when Been noticed a small lump on Arbi’s arm, his heart sank…
This child is affected, he thought.
Been had no courage to take Arbi for a check-up at the hospital. It wasn’t just a financial issue; it was more about his own readiness.
Isn’t it enough that only my wife? Been’s heart screamed. He couldn’t bear to imagine his beloved being plunged into the same suffering again.
The lump on Arbi’s right arm continued to grow. Don’t even ask how painful it is. A small boil can already make us feel feverish.
Their extended family gradually learned about Arbi’s condition. In 2011, Arbi was taken by his uncle to see a bone specialist. What had long been a thought in their hearts became a harsh reality. Arbi was diagnosed with bone cancer.
Affi, Arbi’s younger sister, was also shocked and couldn’t believe that her brother had cancer.
“I’m actually more scared. Because mom had cancer,” Affi said.
Affi could barely remember what it felt like to have a mother, what it felt like to be caressed by a mother.
And after cancer took her mother from her life, now cancer was attacking her beloved older brother. The fear of losing another loved one haunted Affi’s days.
It wasn’t just Affi who was devastated by this disaster. There was Aunt Darti, Been’s sister, who was often asked to take care of them, and she too felt deeply saddened.
“I got a call at 10 PM. Hearing that news, I cried all night. I couldn’t sleep until morning. Arbi and Affi were raised together. I can’t imagine how hard life will be for Arbi,” she said.
Been searched for information about the severity of Arbi’s cancer because the doctor only said, “Be patient, sir.”
For Been, that was not just an ordinary statement. It was a line that made his heart ache amid his tremendous fear.
The experience of loss indeed makes it hard to see any other optimism.
The doctor stated that Arbi’s arm needed to be amputated. Not just the arm but up to half the shoulder to prevent the spread. This would also be followed by the “torture” of chemotherapy.
The doctor added that Arbi would only survive for 6 months, whether he had surgery or not, because this type was very aggressive.
There weren’t many options or time available. Been struggled to train his logic to make wise decisions. The emotional wounds from his wife’s cancer had now reopened.
And time was running out, unwilling to wait.
When life hits rock bottom, we must always realize that no one leaves this life in good condition. Every moment is an adventure. Once life ends, it will never return.
Eventually, Arbi decided he did not want the surgery.
“What’s the point of living for six months without an arm, with a body destroyed by chemotherapy and still dying? It’s better to endure the pain as it is but still have my arm.”
This was Arbi’s decision.
He had surrendered to his condition.
And if he had to die, he wanted to be buried with his arm still attached to his body, even if that arm no longer resembled a real arm.
They began to learn to enjoy cancer as a gift to them.
In life, we must be open to all possibilities. That gifts can come in forms we want to reject. But those gifts may open the door to a new version of ourselves.
God’s secrets can sometimes be difficult for us to understand. But God’s promises are certain. That after hardship will come ease… As long as we remain faithful. And we must believe this with all our hearts.
So when they received information that Dr. Warsito Purwo Taruno, the inventor of cancer therapy devices, would come to Semarang, they knew this was the answer to all their prayers. They had long heard about this device, and relatives had begun to seek out how to obtain it.
“He is the only one who gave me hope… that’s my turning point,” Arbi said.
When we feel we can no longer ignite the flame, we must not retreat. Do not let obstacles, no matter how small, derail our steps. Even if the earth collapses, we must continue to stride toward happiness.
“When I found out it was aggressive cancer and I had to amputate, chemotherapy, with a life expectancy of only six months, I was angry, sad… desperate,” said Arbi, with his eyes gazing into the distance. Ultimately, he had to accept reality, like my mom, I must live alongside cancer.
Meeting Pak Warsito was a blessing. This is God’s way of helping His servant.
Arbi was measured for the device as soon as he had the opportunity to meet Pak Warsito. At that time, the cancer in Arbi’s arm had grown to the size of a head.
Not much was promised by Pak Warsito then, but this was the only hope after everyone had given Arbi a death sentence.
According to Pak Warsito, “The danger of Arbi’s bone cancer is not in his arm, but if the cancer spreads to the lungs and brain… bones can grow in the lungs, and if it spreads to the brain, it’s fatal. That’s why the doctor gave him a prognosis of only 6 months, whether he had surgery or not. The most important thing about the ECCT device is how to prevent cancer from entering the lungs and brain, and hopefully weaken the initial cancer in the arm to make it safe for surgery.”
In 2012, Arbi began collaborating with ECCT in his battle against cancer.
“There were times I almost gave up. But seeing my dad, little brother, and the people around me wanting me to be healthy so much. That’s when I realized I couldn’t give up.”
Arbi continued his studies… Learning while enduring pain was certainly not easy.
Living as a healthy teenager was already challenging enough. He had to deal with various changes that are common with friends, school, teachers, and so on.
Yet Arbi, with his body tilted to the right due to the cancer he suffered, still managed to graduate from high school with excellent grades.
“Just graduating from high school was an incredible achievement,” Arbi said with a face full of spirit.
“Every time I woke up from sleep, which I never got enough of because of the pain, I would slap my cheeks to make sure I was still alive…,” he said, laughing at the thought of those days.
The fact is I still have the chance to meet Arbi… and he’s alive.
I’m sure he’s not a ghost… Look, his feet are clearly on the ground. 🤭🤣🤣
Arbi knows very well that living alongside cancer brings the distance between this world and the afterlife very close. So every time he wakes up and breathes fresh air, he feels immensely grateful.
“And when I was finally declared to have graduated from high school, I tried to join the PTN selection, and I actually passed…” Arbi grinned happily at the thought of those joyful moments.
Moments that could distract him from the pain… his fear of facing this cancer became a driving force for him to strengthen his spirit to expel cancer from his body.
“Every time I wake up, I gather the bones that fall from my hand… each piece is a hope.” The fragments of bone lost due to the cancer therapy device made by Pak Warsito symbolize life and hope for Arbi.
In the place where the bones had fallen, holes formed. And in no time, the holes would be filled again with chunks of bone resembling coral… chunks of dead cancer. The battle between the cancer that keeps trying to live and the one that dies because of the device continues to torment Arbi’s life.
It is not easy for Pak Warsito himself. He must continue to work tirelessly in his laboratory so that the device he created can race against the malignancy of the bone cancer Arbi suffers from.
Pak Warsito once shared, “I almost lost hope in facing the cancer Arbi suffered from. It kept falling and growing back, falling and growing back…”
“Eventually, we made the strongest device we had ever created before. We asked Arbi to wear it almost 24 hours without stopping. By God’s will, the cancer finally completely disappeared… but all the bones in his arm turned to fragments like rotten wood and colorful coral coming out through the wounds in his arm. He still has an arm but without bones inside, and he can still move his arm,” reminisced Pak Warsito.
Been, Arbi’s father, was very strong in supporting his son. They were a solid team. Been never treated Arbi as a teenager with cancer.
“Arbi goes to school by himself… I told him to ride the motorcycle with his body tilted to the right… really tilted because his arm is large.” Some people were angry at this treatment… More because they felt pity.
But seeing their tenacity, relatives could only support them as best they could.
Many friends were very kind and caring. One of them was Shofa. She was Been’s friend, where they would rest every time they had to visit the clinic in Alam Sutera.
“Honestly, I felt a pang seeing a child of such young age facing the trial of having aggressive cancer,” said Shofa.
“But seeing Arbi’s spirit at that time, I couldn’t say anything but encourage and support whatever he chose. I really admire Arbi who seemed so strong and could still smile, joke as if he wasn’t experiencing anything serious.”
Arbi managed to go through each stage of his life with immense resilience. It was supported by his father and sister, who always supported him and treated him as normally as possible. Though deep in their hearts lay anxiety, fear, and pain. But they never showed that attitude. The personalities shaped by Been became incredibly resilient figures.
“Shofa is the best friend I have ever had. Willing to be a resting place, a place to take a shower, a place to eat… Because my condition is very limited… sharing time taking care of Arbi, scraping by just to ensure we can eat tomorrow. Friends are what keep us going.”
Affi, Arbi’s younger sister, also felt the immense role of those around them.
“I’m very grateful for the many kind people who help in our lives. I think that really strengthens the spirit for me, dad, and my brother. It makes us feel that many love us, care about us, and pay attention. Just small things like wanting to listen to our stories means a lot.” They are very adept at appreciating all the little things that pass through their lives.
Time keeps moving. The six months that the doctor targeted have long since passed. Arbi continued to grapple with cancer with his determination. The cancer therapy device was almost never off his body, only removed while he showered.
“For the sake of recovery, I had to let go of my dream of going to college,” Arbi said with a sad face.
“I joined the cancer research clinic. There I found a new family, learned many valuable lessons. About the difficulty of fighting for the truth, and patience. Until the time came for me to willingly part with my right arm.”
Based on examination results, the cancer in Arbi’s arm had started to become benign. Arbi’s condition continued to be monitored by Pak Warsito and the team of doctors supporting this humanitarian project. A project to save a child’s life.
The doctors began to operate on Arbi’s arm. The operation was scheduled to be performed in stages while continuing to monitor the reactions of the cancer itself after the surgery.
“The doctor treating Arbi is an extraordinary person… I was introduced to good people while caring for Arbi.”
Said Been reminiscing about that time. Without Pak Warsito and his extraordinary team of doctors, perhaps Arbi would have remained a dark fairy tale.
“Like my parents, in the end, my hand is also just one. If I say I’m not sad, that would be weird. But I want to tell myself that I can still be great even though I live with just one hand.”
Arbi did not drown in sadness after losing his arm. He tried to find a coach for table tennis. Maybe out of pity, Arbi got a coach without having to pay. Three months later, the coach said that Arbi would not be able to play skillfully with his left hand because he was not naturally left-handed, and his reflexes were right-handed like other normal people.
Finally, Arbi decided to swim. A very appropriate choice. Because swimming can help restore Arbi’s posture, which had tilted to the right.
Arbi is indeed a very tenacious person. He not only succeeded in restoring his posture to upright but also managed to be selected as one of the swimmers who qualified to represent his home region Semarang in the PON.
An achievement that made his father and also his sister Affi proud.
“I’m really happy to see my brother now. It’s like being reborn… hehe. It was indeed hard when I had to undergo amputation, but seeing his spirit to continue living became my motivation too.” Affi said.
However, Arbi eventually canceled his participation in the PON swimming championship in 2019 because he was accepted to work at PINDAD. An extraordinary achievement for a child like Arbi.
“Every time I see a photo of Arbi wearing the PINDAD uniform among his friends, my eyes still get wet. I feel touched and sad… because he has lost one hand…” said Been with teary eyes.
Arbi, together with ECCT, managed to conquer his aggressive cancer, successfully strengthening his spirit. After more than seven years of fighting with ECCT, Arbi was declared cancer-free.
Arbi’s resilience in facing the difficulties of his life makes me really want to meet this young man.
When I first met Arbi, he extended his left hand to shake hands with me. This child is the same age as my eldest son. My tears nearly fell as I looked at the arm behind his leather jacket hanging limply, piercing my heart. That arm had been taken by the ferocious cancer.
“It’s time to find a girlfriend… How come two handsome men like this are still single?” I joked to Been and Arbi. Again, I didn’t want to ruin my makeup with tears.
“Without a hand??” Arbi pretended to be pessimistic.
“Well, to add one more hand?” I replied, greeted by their laughter.
I am grateful to have the opportunity to learn about this young man’s life. And I am moved to witness his metamorphosis from a teenager with cancer into a strong employee of PINDAD.
I truly want to meet Arbi so I can better realize that the difficulties in my life are nothing compared to the hardships others face out there.
I want to make Arbi an example for other cancer patients who sometimes easily lose hope, become lazy to fight, even though their cancer is much lighter than what Arbi endured.
Everyone faces obstacles in life. But how we confront them will determine the final outcome. Whether we want to remain a caterpillar or become a butterfly and fly freely in the beauty of the universe.
As Dahlan Iskan said, “If God allows us to tread a heavy journey, He will also provide us with strong shoes.”
How meaningful life is.
By: Nurbadi’ah Barliyan
#10YearsECCT
About ECCT: https://c-techlabs.com/electro-capacitive-cancer-therapy-ecct-devices/
