Staycation brings joy to teen with cancer

KUCHING: After two years of exhausting hospital stays and often painful treatments, 16-year-old Eqdaneesha Ezzma Piee enjoyed a welcome break with her family through a specially arranged staycation at Pullman Kuching.

A pink-themed room, balloons and a bathtub sprinkled with rose petals awaited the teenager, who counts staycations among her favourite activities.

“I loved the bathtub the most! I enjoyed it so much that I spent two hours in there,” she said.

The getaway was arranged through the hotel’s Golden Dream Stay initiative in collaboration with the Sarawak Children’s Cancer Society (SCCS).

Her father took a day off work to join her mother, elder sister and brother for the family stay.

The hotel said its team prepared a customised menu and activities, including towel folding and clay crafting, for Eqdaneesha.

During the clay crafting session, she exchanged ideas with the team before they decided to make a cat together.

Pullman Kuching People and Culture manager Elizabeth Jonathan (left) welcomes Eqdaneesha to her pink-themed room.

For her mother, Diana Ramli, watching her daughter enjoy the activities and surprises made the experience particularly meaningful.

The getaway allowed the family to take a break from their daily routines and create memories together.

Pullman Kuching general manager Sunardi Song said the initiative brought staff together to prepare an experience tailored to the teenager.

“This initiative gave our team the opportunity to come together and do something special for a family. From preparing the room to planning the activities, every detail was thoughtfully arranged with the aim of bringing happiness to our young guest,” he said in a press release.

Meanwhile, SCCS president Mary Kiu said opportunities to spend quality time together could mean a great deal to children and families facing difficult circumstances.

“We appreciate Pullman Kuching’s support and the effort put into creating this personalised experience. Collaborations like this bring moments of happiness to families and remind them that they are not alone,” she said.

Eqdaneesha (seated) and her family share a moment with the Pullman Kuching team and SCCS representative.