When the Nurse Ran Away: The Untold Early Days of ZACC MYTOWN

When I first opened ZACC MYTOWN, I wasn’t just nervous — I was terrified.

Terrified that no one would come.

Terrified that my dream would end before it even began.

Facebook Ads or other online ads were still new then, and I had no idea how to market online.

How do you convince families to trust a brand-new elderly care centre that no one has ever heard of?

Blessed With True Friends

In the middle of that fear, Allah sent me the right people — people I can now proudly call true friends.

One of them was Dr. Mujahid or I called him “Ujay!”.

Back then, he was still a medical student — curious, humble, and full of life. He liked the idea and vision behind ZACC MYTOWN and offered to help me set up our very first Facebook ad campaign.

Yes — the same ads that have now helped thousands of families find us.

I still remember asking him,

“How do you even know all this marketing stuff? You’re supposed to be on medicine!”

He laughed and said he’d learned it through experience — selling kelambu (mosquito nets!) online while studying to support himself.

His persistence inspired me. And today, I couldn’t be prouder to see him as one of Malaysia’s leading specialist doctors.

The First 10 Patients

With his help and a lot of prayers, within just one month of launching, I had my first five patients.

They came from all over Malaysia — families who took a chance on a small, unknown care home. I was overjoyed… but also quietly terrified.

Deep inside, I kept asking myself:

“Can I really handle this? Am I ready for what’s coming next?”

Because behind the scenes, I was facing challenges I had never imagined.

When Things Didn’t Go as Planned

As my second patient was admitted — a bedridden, vegetative case with high expectations from her family — reality hit me hard.

I wasn’t a doctor, and yet I was now responsible for someone who couldn’t move, speak, or eat.

And just when I needed support the most, the nurse I had hired disappeared — literally ran away in the middle of the night with her boyfriend.

That night, I had to call an ambulance myself to stabilize the patient and ensure her safety.

It was chaotic, emotional, and humbling.

Those moments — the fear, the exhaustion, the unexpected tests — shaped me.

Lessons From the Early Days

I learned that leadership is not about perfection.

It’s about showing up, even when everything falls apart.

Those early experiences — from losing staff to managing crises — forced me to become a strategic thinker.

Every mistake taught me how to build stronger systems, train better teams, and create a more resilient foundation for ZACC.

A Decade Later

Fast forward 10 years — from 25 beds to 135 beds, ZACC MYTOWN now stands as one of Malaysia’s leading elderly care centres.

If you ask me today how it feels, my answer is simple:

I still feel the same as I did back then — humbled, grateful, and full of faith.

But now, my heart is content and stronger.

Takeaway

To anyone chasing a dream — scared, uncertain, and unsure — know this:

Every successful journey starts with fear.

Every strong leader was once overwhelmed.

What matters most isn’t where you start — it’s how you choose to keep going.

Those early chapters of ZACC didn’t break me.

They built me — into who I am today.

Sincerely, 

Wan Salbiah Mior Yahya