A recent post by the Hong Kong Federation of Asian Domestic Workers Unions (FADWU) highlighted the struggles of 39-year-old Filipina single mother Noelyn Patricio Arzaga.
Since 2013, she has worked in Hong Kong, but after being diagnosed with breast cancer, she faced indifference from her employer, leading to her dismissal and loss of work visa, which resulted in soaring medical costs.
Employed to care for a 2-year-old child and a pet dog, Noelyn initially had a good relationship with her employer. However, after her stage II diagnosis in March, her doctor recommended chemotherapy, but the employer insisted on immediate surgery. During the procedure, doctors found her cancer had progressed to stage III.
After her surgery, Noelyn was instructed to return to work. While her doctor advised post-surgery treatments, the employer threatened to terminate her contract if she pursued chemotherapy. Ultimately, Noelyn decided to undergo treatment, but on the night she informed the employer, she was told to leave immediately.
Following her abrupt dismissal, Noelyn's chemotherapy costs skyrocketed from HK$80 to HK$5,100 per session. FADWU has launched a crowdfunding campaign to help cover her treatment and legal fees, raising around HK$180,000 so far.
The union emphasized the rising number of cancer patients unlawfully dismissed by their employers, leaving them without access to public healthcare. They asserted that such discrimination violates the Disability Discrimination Ordinance and called for employers to provide reasonable accommodations for sick workers.
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