Olympian Brian Sta Maria waits days in emergency for hospital bed
The former hockey international has been at UMMC since Sunday after a fall at home, with his wife increasingly worried about his condition and care.
Former Malaysian hockey players Brian Sta Maria and Franco D’Cruz, teammates at the 1972 Olympics and 1975 World Cup, were recently featured at the Sports Flame event, which reunited members of Malaysia’s illustrious 1975 squad. Now, Sta Maria, 77, is facing a challenging situation after a fall at his home. His wife, Elaine Lam, revealed that he has been in the emergency unit of Universiti Malaya Medical Centre (UMMC) for several days awaiting a hospital bed.
Sta Maria's condition worsened following the incident, and he can no longer move independently. His wife took him to a general practitioner, but his pain persisted, leading them to seek medical attention at UMMC. The family was informed that the hospital did not have a bed available, resulting in Sta Maria remaining in the emergency unit.
His health issues include brain bleeding and Parkinson’s disease, which may have contributed to the fall. Sta Maria also has a pacemaker and receives treatment for his heart condition at another hospital in Serdang. However, the family preferred UMMC due to its proximity and the care his Parkinson’s condition required. Despite the family’s efforts, they encountered challenges with limited beds in the hospital, including other patients in wheelchairs awaiting beds.
National Athletes Welfare Foundation officials provided Elaine with a wheelchair and financial assistance for Sta Maria after his discharge. Sta Maria, who competed for Malaysia at the 1972 Munich Olympics and the 1975 World Cup, highlights the need for greater support for retired athletes facing health issues. Former athlete M Rajamani has previously called for the government to provide a faster assistance process for retired sports figures, emphasizing that those who have brought pride to the nation should receive some additional privileges when they face health complications.
For Elaine, this situation is not about bypassing the queue, but rather ensuring her husband receives the necessary care.
Written by urgent.news from Free Malaysia Today's reporting — not their text. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.
