After fighting a losing battle against breast cancer, 32-year-old "Nim" had one final wish: She desperately wanted to visit Hua Hin beach in Prachuap Khiri Khan province before her time ran out.
That seemed like it was never going to happen until Maha Vajiralongkorn Thanyaburi Hospital, where she was a patient, pooled its resources to make her a beneficiary of the "Last Wish" programme it launched about two decades ago.
As a result, Nim and her relatives were driven to Hua Hin last month on an all-expenses-paid trip. Pulling out all the stops, the medical team prepared a stunning dress for Nim to wear so she could light up the photos her relatives will treasure forever.
"I want to thank everyone who took care of me so well," she told Bangkok Post. "All the doctors and nurses treated me like family. I never thought my last wish would come true."
Located in Pathum Thani, the hospital was built in 1993 on 93 rai of land donated by King Rama X, while he was still the Crown Prince. The healthcare facility specialises in treating cancer patients.
The hospital has been known for final stage cancer treatment. It has 10 rooms for terminal stage cancer and other patients. Unlike other hospitals, relatives can visit around the clock.
The hospital has special rules and treatment for critical patients who have limited time left.
Kemachit Mookdadee, the nurse who coordinates the project, said palliative care like art and music therapy help patients deal with their situation and come to terms with it psychologically.
"In Nim's case, we saw how she was responding to the music therapy so we went to chat with her. We've tried to do everything we can to help. All of the staff here understand what patients [in her situation] are going through, and we want to make them feel as happy as possible," she said.
She said teamwork and going the extra mile can make all the difference.
On one occasion, the hospital arranged a traditional Thai wedding ceremony for one female patient who had only weeks to live. She had married an Austrian man and had children together but had always regretted not tying the knot according to her own cultural norms and customs.
Another female patient wanted to see her son ordained as a monk before she passed. The hospital used its close connections with a local temple to make it happen within days.
According to Buddhist beliefs, a mother can make merit -- earn a blessing that will be rewarded in the next life -- when her son is ordained.
Dr Arkom Chaiwetrawattana, the hospital's director, said one of the cornerstones of the hotel's philosophy is how to ease patients' suffering in their final weeks or months.
"Sometimes it can be a challenge," he said. "We try to help them keep their dignity and die peacefully."
The hospital also organises celebratory activities for key dates on the Thai calendar like Songkran (Thai New Year), or Loy Krathong in November when Thais float baskets on rivers and lakes to appease the water gods.
Thailand currently has 122,757 cancer patients, according to the Ministry of Public Health. It is the leading cause of death with 215 people dying from the disease each day on average.
Meanwhile, other organisations at both a government and grassroots level are seeking ways to give more patients access to anti-cancer treatments to ease their suffering, especially those living close to the bread line.
People and state-run health agencies joined a fundraising drive late last year, pushed by social media to help Chulalongkorn University researchers continue their 1.5-billion-baht research project to develop a new anti-cancer drug in a bid to replace costly imported medicines.
