Exclusive

Publication

Byline

Cancer Diaries: Letting go of outcomes, expectations and clutter

Kuala Lampur, Aug. 13 -- May 2026. That's the earliest mammogram appointment I can get from KL General Hospital While I don't need one so soon (I'm still waiting for a radiotherapy date and mammogra... Read More


Cancer Diaries: When my radiotherapy is delayed and my recurrence risk looms

Kuala Lampur, Aug. 6 -- I thought my radiotherapy treatments would have started by now but alas, as The Rolling Stones song goes, "You can't always get what you want." Called up KL General Hospital a... Read More


Cancer Diaries: Why are we making assistive tech for the able-bodied?

Kuala Lampur, July 30 -- "This is how I die." That was my thought as the bus I was in made a sharp turn as I was standing. A young man laughed at me when I held on for dear life, my sandals refusing... Read More


Cancer Diaries: On Superman - The 'E' in Evil stands for 'easy'

Kuala Lampur, July 23 -- Being in active treatment as a cancer patient means I try to avoid crowds when I can. Still, I couldn't resist watching Superman though it meant watching it during non-peak h... Read More


Cancer Diaries: Where I almost tumble off an escalator and get reminded I'm a fall risk

Kuala Lampur, July 16 -- I almost fell off an escalator the other day and it made me so angry. Yes, I know someone reading this assumed perhaps I was careless, inattentive, staring at my phone or som... Read More


Cancer Diaries: Playing the cancer card has surprising benefits

Kuala Lampur, July 9 -- I could never say that cancer is a gift. No, it's a disease that's painful, the treatment is also painful as well as expensive and - 10/10 zero stars would not recommend it. ... Read More


Cancer Diaries: Please don't take my EPF for insurance, learn from other countries instead

Kuala Lampur, July 2 -- There are things that irk me about Malaysia sometimes but I'm grateful our public healthcare exists. If it hadn't, faced with charges like RM4,000 for a biopsy and nearly RM3,... Read More


Cancer Diaries: Pain still a constant companion as I prepare to be (gently) nuked

Kuala Lampur, June 25 -- I am back at work after a month of recovery leave. My mental faculties are surprisingly a lot better than they have been since I first started cancer treatment. It feels lik... Read More


Cancer Diaries: When cancer is your part-time job

Kuala Lampur, June 18 -- Being a cancer patient feels like a full-time job sometimes, what with even my leisure time being used for "beating cancer activities". This week I met the surgeon who excise... Read More


Cancer Diaries: EPF comes through, while I start turning into the Tin Man

Kuala Lampur, June 4 -- Last week I talked about the unexpected challenges of getting my EPF medical withdrawal application approved. The good news is that it's sorted and for the moment, I can set a... Read More