Cancer patient Jee Tjun fights back, one scan at a time

Name: Cancer patient Jee Tjun fights back, one scan at a time
Uploaded: 2023-09-21T11:57:03+00:00
Duration: 3 min 33 s
Channel: Free Malaysia Today

Free Malaysia Today

last year

To mark the Day for Welfare of Cancer Patients, also known as World Rose Day, 38-year-old lawyer and martial artist Tan Jee Tjun speaks of his remarkable journey with stage-four cancer.

Read More: https://www.freemalaysiatoday.com/category/leisure/2023/09/22/tan-wont-let-even-cancer-stop-him-from-living-his-best-life/

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Transcript

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00:00 Looking at Tan Ji-Joon, one may assume he doesn't have a care in the world.

00:06 After all, the 38-year-old is a partner at an established law firm in Kuala Lumpur,

00:12 has a beautiful family, and is a black belt holder in Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu.

00:18 You might be surprised to learn that Tan is also a cancer patient who, in March 2018,

00:24 was diagnosed with stage 3 nasopharyngeal carcinoma, a cancer that affects the nose and respiratory system.

00:32 I was 33 years old, going on to 34.

00:38 I already had my son, my wife was pregnant with my daughter.

00:43 I was in the prime of my life, prime of my career, prime of my life in my early 30s.

00:51 Radiotherapy and chemotherapy ensued, which Tan describes as "hell on earth"

00:57 as the experience left him with multiple devastating side effects,

01:01 including the loss of his natural voice due to radiation damage.

01:06 Regardless, he was relieved to learn that following the treatment, there was no evidence of the disease.

01:13 Sadly, just eight months later, it spread to his lungs and progressed to stage 4.

01:20 If his body fails to respond to treatment, he would only have two years to live.

01:26 It's a position I wish on no one, even my worst enemies.

01:33 It's terrible to be told that you will die a slow and painful death in two years.

01:40 Tan underwent surgery, but it was unsuccessful in removing the tumour.

01:45 Further treatments ensued, and even though these have resolved the issues of local recurrence,

01:51 the disease remains in his lungs today.

01:54 Now, Tan lives from scan to scan and goes for chemotherapy,

01:59 but he is determined not to allow cancer to steal the life out of him.

02:05 One of the great motivations that spurs him to fight back is his family,

02:10 especially his 9-year-old son who has autism.

02:13 And he is certainly fighting back with gusto.

02:17 In February 2020, Tan successfully received his black belt in Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu,

02:23 no ordinary feat considering he earned this while undergoing treatment.

02:28 In 2022 and 2023, he even participated in three international competitions in Singapore and Thailand,

02:36 where he bagged gold and silver medals.

02:39 I compete not to prove anyone anything, but to tell myself that I will not be hampered

02:47 and impeded from living my life because of this wretched disease.

02:51 And earlier this month, he even scaled Mount Fuji in Japan.

02:56 On the Day for the Welfare of Cancer Patients, also known as World Rose Day,

03:02 Tan shares this message to fellow cancer patients.

03:06 This is from the movie, from the TV series Game of Thrones,

03:11 in which Bran Snow asks his father, Lord Eddard Stark,

03:16 "Can a man be brave when he's afraid?"

03:20 And Eddard Stark said, "That is the only time he can be brave."

03:26 Sheila Bajayan, FMT Lifestyle

03:29 [BLANK_AUDIO]

Cancer patient Jee Tjun fights back, one scan at a time

Transcript

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