Fashion for Cancer x Shentonista – In Good Faith

When you were diagnosed with stage 4 cancer, what was the first thought that ran through your mind?
It was a total shock because I had such a comfortable, healthy life. I was living in Canada, walking 10,000 steps each day, I grew my own vegetables, I ate healthy, and I had no symptoms, even up till the day of my diagnosis. And while my cancer originated in my right lung, it had already spread to my left lung, brain, and backbone as well, so it was very bad! And of course, I was devastated lah (laughs).

Despite your serious diagnosis, you witnessed dramatic improvement in just a couple of months. What do you think has played a role in your speedy recovery?
I think the medical advancements definitely played a huge part. If this had happened to me 20 years ago, I don’t think there would’ve been a cure, especially since the doctors couldn’t operate on me. But now, with such advanced drugs, I only have to take one tablet in the morning every day, and that’s all.

Of course, I have to add, my prayers and my belief in God and His healing played a part too spiritually. But the physical side is all thanks to the doctors and medicine I had in Singapore. In fact, that’s why I moved back from Canada after my diagnosis. The National Cancer Centre of Singapore is at the forefront of technology, and because my type of cancer is apparently very prevalent in Asian women, I felt better moving back to a place where we have a bigger repository of Asian datapoints and specialists that would be able to help. And sure enough, in just four months, everything was cleared.

That’s such a miracle! Tell us more about the treatment you went through, and your recovery journey.
For the particular drug that I took, one pill a day is technically enough to prolong my life for at least three years before my body grows immune to it and I start experiencing relapses. But because I chose to take this drug alongside chemotherapy, the efficacy should be extended even more. This combination, however, has yet to be clinically proven since it was just approved by the FDA in February 2025, and I got on it soon after in April 2025, so we don’t know just how much longer the drug will remain effective, but I was willing to give it a try. So I had intensive chemo for four sessions for three months, and now I’m on a monthly 10 minute chemo.

Having recently moved back to Singapore from Canada for treatment, have you adjusted your lifestyle in any significant way?
Hah! If I can jokingly tell you, the thing that gets me most is the humidity and the heat in Singapore. It’s so, so hot here! The minute you step out of the shower, you’re perspiring again! This is why my husband promised to replicate the Canadian environment for me at home. So what does that mean? It means that I have the aircon on 24/7, set at 20 degrees, and I have air purifiers in every room because of my lung cancer. So basically, within my apartment, it’s like a cocoon. There’s no humidity or stickiness because the temperature and purification of the air is controlled. In other words, I live in a bubble (laughs).

Love your husband’s dedication! It must be pretty tough to have to make such a big change in your life. Though it all, what’s helped you find light and joy in this otherwise dark time?
Actually, I like to say that this is the best season of my life because it’s helped me to hit the reset button. This time has give me a pause to really figure out what I’m going to do with the rest of my life. It’s helped me recalibrate what’s important—family, friends, and God. I mean, you can only go on so many cruises and holidays and eat so much food, but after that, what’s the meaning in all of this?

My diagnosis has actually helped me to seriously slow down and think “My days are numbered. How do I make them count? And what do I want to do with the rest of my life?” So this gives me a purpose now in my second wind or third age of life, because I’m 63. I just pray everyday that I have the energy and ability to do what I set out to do, which is to support other cancer patients and pray alongside them, because I know just how devastating and difficult it is to be going through it, especially if they’re younger patients. So I’m happy to open myself up and avail myself to walk this journey with them.

And you know, I am my husband’s best friend and soulmate, and he is mine. He’s a very private person who doesn’t open up easily, so half of this battle of mine is to live for God and to do His work, but the other half is to live so that my husband doesn’t have to be alone.

That’s really moving! What about your children? Has living apart from them changed the way in which you approach family or motherhood in any way?
We’re quite different as a family because we made the conscious decision to take our children abroad to experience a different lifestyle, so from young, they’ve been taught to be very independent. In fact, at 16, they all went to live on their own, but we’re still very close as a family. With technology like WhatsApp and all that, we connect regularly. And every year, we’ll have a physical get together, or as we like to call it, a fam jam.

It started when the kids were around 15 or 16. At the time, fam jams would consist of us going on an extended family trip together, whether it’s a cruise to Russia or a safari in South Africa. We’ve been very blessed to have been able to afford these annual trips, but most recently, since I was diagnosed, we’ve moved our fam jam closer to home—a holiday in Phuket where we all stayed in the same villa, just in case I need access to medical facilities if anything happens.

That sounds like so much fun! And at the end of the day, what matters most is being intentional and present with our nearest and dearest. On that note, we know you’re also open about getting your financial affairs like your will and your Lasting Power of Attorney in check. Do you think this is something that more cancer patients should be encouraged to talk about?
Definitely, because it’s very taboo in Singapore, or any Asian communities, to talk about this. But the fact is that we’ve already been diagnosed with cancer, which is a sign that we’re heading in that direction, so it’s only a matter of when, right? It’s basically an early warning call for us to get our assets in order.

For me, when I got diagnosed, I wrote down a list of all of my passwords and gave it to my husband. I also set up my will so that my husband and I both know what our children will be getting, so when it happens, it’s no longer a shock.

You also mentioned that cancer patients should be guided with a road map when they’re diagnosed. Having gone through it yourself, what practical knowledge or resources would you include in this road map?
I would include data points from all of the previous cancer patients who have walked the same path. What are the common problems faced? How does one go about financing these expensive treatments? Which medical specialist should you see first? And simple things like how you should go to the polyclinic first to get a referral before going to the cancer centre, because if you go straight to the cancer centre, you will kena private rates, you know?

This is important because right after your diagnosis, you won’t be in the frame of mind to think already. You’ll be crying, you’ll be sad, you’ll be scared, you won’t have any energy, so how? This is where a road map with helpful, actionable steps would really come in handy.

That makes sense! Final question: what’s one thing you hope people will take away from your story?
That we are all made in the image of God, and God wants us well. Cancer is a curveball thrown at us, but it should not be the end. We can overcome, and we can get over it. For me, I’m getting through it by praying and claiming God’s promises that He intends us to be well, and He has already made us well through Jesus Christ.

This is a feature for Fashion for Cancer 2025, spotlighting 5 cancer survivors and warriors. Founded by Ong Bee Yan, Fashion for Cancer is a charity fashion show aimed at raising funds for cancer research and financial aid. Support the cause on 13 September 2025 at The Westin Singapore—get your tickets here.