Grappling with a life-threatening ailment, Health Minister Endang Rahayu Sedyaningsih now has nowhere to look but upward for the healing power From on High.

It was in October 2010 that the minister underwent her annual regular medical check up when a doctor walked to her side with a clipboard in his hand and gave her the news.

Minister Endang was not prepared for the news but the doctor`s words were stark and to the point and with little else to say he left the minister in silence when he told her he had discovered a lung cancer in her X-ray result.

Could there be any doubt that when our essential life systems is supported by a machine, our life itself is in the very hands of God?

The days passed and the health minister might be increasingly apprehensive in a disproportionate state of confusion and indecision, beset by anxiety and inner conflict after hearing that she was a victim of this life-threatening ailment.

"It was alarming news for me and my family because I noticed no symptom at all at the beginning," the health minister said at a special press conference on Monday at her office to clarify her health condition.

After being informed by the doctor about her real condition, the minister reported it immediately to President Susilo Bangang Yudhoyono who then gave her his all out support.

At the special press conference, the health minister said a member the presidential medical team would continuously monitor her state of health.

The presidential medical team member would remain within the minister`s quick reach at all times to make sure she was not having any problem performing her normal activities.

"One of the presidential medical team members will always accompany me. I know it is part of President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono`s support for and attention to me," Endang said.

In the company of echelon-I officials, the health minister explained her real health condition to confirm media reports that she had lung cancer.

But she did not go into detail of her illness which was detected in October 2010 during her annual regular medical check up.

Endang said President Yudhoyono was the first party to whom she reported her health condition to gain support from the head of state.

"The form of president support is that he permits me to have a medical checkup abroad once in a while," the minister said.

The ailing health minister added that the president and First Lady Ani Yudhoyono would pray for her recuperation, and for her it was an extraordinary attention from the head of state and his family.

It certainly is that when we are confronted with deep trouble, friends can visit with us and say some prayers for us, people may lend their sympathy, relatives will give us their support, but in the end the problem will remain ours to face and grapple with alone.

Therefore in such a situation when the health minister has nowhere to look, what a glorious thing it would be if millions of us would avail ourselves of the greatest privilege and the greatest power of prayer for her!!.

In her words of encouragement to the health minister, Women`s Empowerment and Child Protection Minister Linda Amalia Sari Gumelar has expressed her strong confidence that Endang would remain strong in battling her lung cancer.

"The health minister must be strong. She herself is a doctor so I believed she is strong," Linda said after receiving Edgae Xavier, the 12-year old wushu athlete that won a gold medal in the 2010 Junior Wushu Championship.

Linda said she herself had experienced the same situation several years ago when she was declared suffering from a breast cancer.

She said with the full support of the family and spirit to recover she finally was able to beat the disease and recovered from the illness.

"Therefore I could feel and understand what the health minister is feeling right now and I believed she could be able to surpass it well and recover." Linda said, adding that the most important thing in such a situation was the support of the family, the people and close associates.

"We must all give her our support. Many have suffered from cancer but many have also been able to survive and recover. So the struggle is still long and therefore one must have spirit to recover," Linda said.

She also believed that as a doctor, the health minister certainly knew what she had to do to fight the disease.

"Ibu (Mme) Endang knows better what she has to do. She is a doctor," Linda said.
In carrying out her tasks as health minister, Endang admitted that she was not given a special concession but she was able to do her job normally because the disease she was suffering from was not showing any noticeable symptom.

The health minister at present is under medical supervision at Gatot Subroto and Gading Pluit hospitals in Jakarta, and a hospital in Guangzhou, China.

But she said the disease she was suffering from would not hamper her activity as a cabinet member.

"I remain and will continue to have my health checked up at the hospital but it will not hamper my activity as a minister," Endang said at the special press conference at her office.

Therefore presidential spokesman Julian Aldrin Pasha said President Yudhoyono had no plan to appoint a successor or interim minister for the ailing health minister.

"There is no plan to appoint an interim minister to handle her tasks," Julian told newsmen at Halim Perdanakusuma Airport here after accompanying President Yudhoyono during a working visit to North Sumatra on Tuesday.

The head of state continued to have confidence in Endang Rahayu to handle the health ministry`s tasks, he said.

Julian said President Yudhoyono also supported and hoped for the health minister`s health recovery so that she could fully work again. (*)  

Source: ANTARA