1) An average of two (2) in every three (3) Malaysians will contract heart diseases, stroke or cancer. Fortunately, the innovation in technology and medical studies have paved the way for a majority of these illnesses to be cured provided we have sufficient funds.

2) A total of 26,089 cancers were diagnosed among all residents in Peninsular Malaysia in the year 2002, comprising 11,815 males and 14,274 females. An estimated 10,656 cases were however not registered. In terms of risk, 1 in 5.5 Malaysians can be expected to get cancer in his/her lifetime. Taking into account unregistered cases, the risk would be 1 in 4 Malaysians.

3) The cumulative life time risk of developing breast cancer for a Chinese women, Indian women, and Malay women were 1 in 14, 1 in 15, and 1 in 24 respectively.

4) Chinese men are at a lifetime risk of 1 in 20 of getting lung cancer and a lifetime risk of 1 in 42 of getting nasopharyngeal (nose) cancer.

5) 2256 cases of lung cancer were reported to the National Cancer Registry comprising 8.6% of the total reported cases in 2002. The male:female ratio in terms of incidence for Peninsular Malaysia was 2.7: 1. Rates of lung cancer rose progressively with age for both males and females especially after the age of 40 years.

6) Cervix cancer, a preventable cancer, was the second most frequent cancer in all major ethnic groups.

7) Stomach cancer incidence started to increase after 40 years of age. The rates in males were about 1.5 times higher than in females.

8) Bladder cancer ranked tenth among males and twenty first in females. It accounted for 4.1% and 0.8% of all new cases of cancer among men and women respectively. The male to female ratio was 4.4 : 1.

9) 566 patients with liver cancers were reported to the NCR in 2002, with men more commonly affected in the ratio of 2.8 : 1. Liver cancer ranked twelveth in men and eighteenth in women in Malaysia.

10) Cancer of ovary was the fourth most common cancer among women. The cumulative lifetime risk for getting cancer of ovary was 1:100 for Chinese, 1: 125 for Indians and 1:125 for Malays. It was the third commonest cancer diagnosed in Malay women.

11) Leukemias ranked fourth among cancers in males and fifth in females. There was a
preponderance of males to females.The age specific incidence curves for lymphatic leukaemia had bimodal peaks while that for myeloid leukaemia rose with age.

12) In the youngest age group of 0 ??14 years, leukaemias comprised nearly half of all cases reported in both sexes. The second most common tumours in this age group were those of the brain and eye in males and females respectively.

13) In the 15 ??49 year age group, nasopharyngeal cancer followed by leukemias were the most common cancers seen in males while cancers of the breast and cervix were the top two malignancies in females.

14) In the men aged between 50 and 69 years, the most common cancers were lung and colon cancers. In women aged between 50 and 69 years, the most common cancers were breast and cervix cancers, although the crude rates were 4 to 5 times those of women in the 15 to 49 year age groups.

15) In the 70+ year age group, the most common cancers in males were those of the lung and prostate, while cancers of the breast and colon were the two most common cancers in females.

So how much reserved funds do you think you should save on rainy days? It depends on each individual needs and commitment. After all, the most coverage we can get for 36 critical illness policy is not more than a million.