Cancer patient in S’pore creates hand cast mould with wife, passes away the next day

Cancer patient creates hand cast mould with wife a day before passing

During his final moments, 44-year-old cancer patient Mr Yiu created a hand cast mould with his wife, Mrs Yiu, who was pregnant at the time.

As Mr Yiu wanted to do something that he could leave as a memento, their art therapist suggested making a hand cast mould for their child to hold in future.

Mr Yiu passed on 17 Mar 2023, a day after he created the mould.

Patient was diagnosed with liver cancer

On Valentine’s Day (14 Feb), Assisi Hospice shared Mr Yiu’s heartwarming story in a Facebook post.

The hospice mentioned that Mr Yiu was diagnosed with liver cancer in February 2023, after grappling with persistent pain in his abdominal area.

As his tumour was too large, he was deemed unsuitable for medical treatment.

Following recommendations, Mr Yiu was admitted to Assisi Hospice’s inpatient ward just one month later, where he underwent palliative care.

Held hands with wife to create hand mould cast for remembrance

When Mr Yiu was going through his final moments, his wife was pregnant.

Knowing that he would likely be unable to meet their child and support his wife, Mr Yiu was determined to leave them with a memento.

Thus, their art therapist suggested creating a hand cast mould, which they agreed to. When their child was born, he would be able to hold it in remembrance of his father.

Speaking to Assisi Hospice, Mrs Yiu shared that during the process of creating the mould on 16 Mar last year, Mr Yiu was particularly weak.

However, he continued to persevere and even created an additional mould where he held her hand.

With Mrs Yiu sitting by his bedside, the couple held hands tightly and dipped them in the alginate mixture.

Passed away one day after creating hand cast mould

One day after creating the hand cast mould with his wife, Mr Yiu passed away.

At Mr Yiu’s wake, the care team gifted the completed mould to Mrs Yiu.

Mrs Yiu remarked that the mould looks very realistic, showing even the fine details of Mr Yiu’s hand. She shared:

When I miss him, I will look at his photos, and also the hand cast that we made.

Additionally, the art therapist created an artwork which featured the handprints of Mr Yiu and his family.

The music therapist at the hospice also recorded Mr Yiu’s heartbeat, adding yet another memento for the couple’s child.

Also read: S’pore Cancer Patient Wants Tailored Dress & Good Funeral Photo, Volunteers Fulfil Her Final Wishes

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Featured image adapted from Assisi Hospice on Facebook.