Breast cancer befalls one in 10 Thai women, and when Maynart Nantakwang realised over a decade ago that she was in that unfortunate 10%, she had only one sensible reaction.
She was shocked.
"I was 49 years old at the time," said the now 62-year-old Maynart, the owner of Thai clothing brand Soda. Life recently visited her office on Thong Lor 13, and Maynart was as busy as ever running the apparel's production line, something she's been doing since she first unveiled her brand in 1980.
What keeps her busy this month -- October is designated as Breast Cancer Awareness Month -- is a charity project aimed at helping those struck by the disease. Maynart unveiled a black-and-white scarf under the theme "Por Piang" (meaning "be sufficient", to follow King Rama IX's sufficiency philosophy) with the aim to raise funding for the Queen Sirikit Centre for Breast Cancer Foundation in its construction of Pink Park Village, a shelter for breast cancer patients. The project was pioneered by Dr Kris Chatamra, a renowned specialist in breast cancer and the foundation's founder.
Designs for the Por Piang scarf by Soda. Soda
Wearing a black robe with pink blossom prints, plus a pair of furry pink slippers, Maynart sat down at her office desk. She was sipping a glass of blended carrot juice, during which she recounted her experience in battling breast cancer.
Breast cancer, according to the foundation, is the number one cause of death for Thai women. Each day, an average of 12 women die from breast cancer. However, early detection and treatment could increase their chance of survival by 98%.
Following the diagnosis, Maynart began studying more of the disease, focusing especially on how a person could survive from it.
"We know there's no medicine that can cure cancer. There's chemotherapy, which is set to destroy bad cells, though at the same time it also ruins your good cells. And to survive that, you have to be very strong, physically and emotionally," said the fashion designer. "There's no other way but to take care of yourself well. See what your body is lacking, what it needs, and you need to know in detail what you are consuming."
Cancer was indeed a life-changing experience in more way than one for Maynart. Upon her diagnosis, she decided she would lead a toxin-free, chemical-free and organic lifestyle.
"It is so the body doesn't need to fight any additional toxin we put into our body," she added. "Oh, and don't get stressed, too."
For her goal to beat cancer, Maynart changed her diet drastically. She gave up meat, food seasonings, caffeine, alcohol and cigarettes. During the first three months, she only consumed vegetables, fruits and some fish. She also used to drink eight glasses of carrot juice per day to "keep the cells fresh" (the amount has been decreased to three glasses a day now). She exercised. And she also moved away from the city to be among the mountains and sea, getting away from all the air pollution of the concrete jungle.
Maynart Nantakwang. Photos courtesy of Soda
"I did all that for like a year, all the while I was having eight sessions of chemotherapy, plus a radiation therapy. I didn't work that entire year. But as it's my own company, I had the staff going to see me instead."
Now, Maynart is happy to reveal that she's 98% cured of cancer. Her doctor withheld another 2% for a chance of relapse.
While there were times she felt hopeless in the past, she said she tried to live as normally as she could.
"I didn't want anybody to suffer with me. I didn't complain to my staff, my son or my friends. I tried not to make it a big deal because the more I do that, the more I'll get worse. I knew I had to be strong."
Maynart's experience in battling breast cancer has since brought her on the road of advocacy to help raise awareness for this disease, as well as lending a hand in raising funds for the foundation that cares for women who are suffering from breast cancer. She previously made a collection of T-shirts under the theme "Staying Alive" to raise funds for cancer patients.
Her newly launched Por Piang Scarf will contribute directly to Pink Park Village, which is set to become the country's first non-profit holistic care centre for breast cancer patients. Upon its completion, the facility will include hospice and convalescence homes for underprivileged patients, plus a day care, learning and training centre, as well as a breast cancer diagnostic centre for all women.
For the Por Piang scarf, Maynart recruited her niece -- budding artist Vasiree Hiranyalekha -- to hand-draw the designs of elephants, people, flower garlands, lotus, fish and rice that Maynart sketched. They all transpired from symbols of Thainess, she said.
"It also goes with the Thai saying nai nam mee pla, nai na mee khao [there are fish in the water, and rice in the fields]," she said. "Not many would incorporate such Thai style and designs into modern fashion apparel. But we just went for it."
She was inspired by Thai folk mural paintings, and she hopes the work also reflects her interpretation of King Bhumibol Adulyadej's philosophy of sufficiency into fashion. The black-and-white scarf comes with simplistic elegance, as well as being a sensible and practical choice of clothing, especially for this month when we continue to mourn the late king. The scarf's colour comes appropriately, and its big size also makes it able to double as a light blanket, a flag, or even a wall decoration.
The scarf's sale proceeds will help realise the Pink Park Village project, as well as promote breast cancer awareness -- including its symptoms and early detection -- to the general public, and Maynart hopes people will also grow more conscious of how they're currently treating their body. "I used to lead a bad life. I was in my 40s. I worked a lot, slept late, drank and smoked -- all the things that ruined my body. I thought I was still healthy and strong. But, really, with health, you can't let it slip," she said.
"Prevention, as they say, is better and easier than finding a cure. When you're sick, it just affects everything -- family, work, and with healthcare also comes a cost. It's better to be careful now and decrease the risk you're bringing into your body."
