Rising strong: Lum May Yee and Glenn Yong are two of a kind

To the informal observer, it might sound as if Lum Could Yee and Glenn Yong are nothing alike. One is a former mannequin and actress who now does gross sales and advertising for a jewelry enterprise; the opposite, a rising star within the leisure trade.

Their personalities, too, are starkly completely different. Could Yee is cool, calm and effortlessly elegant, whereas Glenn is energetic, pleasant and animated.

Could Yee, who has appeared in native motion pictures equivalent to 12 Storeys and Rooster Rice Warfare, has zero plans to return to appearing (“I loved modelling far more, and nonetheless do,” she shares); Glenn is obsessed with appearing, and is at the moment within the midst of filming Singapore director Jack Neo’s new movie The King Of Musang King, which is slated to hit theatres subsequent 12 months.

And but, there’s a trigger that hyperlinks them collectively – and it’s a subject near their hearts: most cancers. Could Yee is a most cancers survivor, whereas Glenn is Singapore Most cancers Society’s youngest goodwill ambassador.

Her story: Lum Could Yee

On a seemingly regular day in September 2015, Lum Could Yee, who was 42 then, awakened from what she thought was a simple surgical procedure, solely to be instructed that she had breast most cancers.

The primary inkling that one thing was flawed occurred three months earlier in June, when the mother-of-two found a tiny lump on her chest. “It was not even on my breast, it was really simply right here, see?” She factors to a small scar situated simply barely above her proper breast. “It was very tiny, nevertheless it was exhausting and easy.”

She assumed that it was a blocked milk duct as she had simply stopped breastfeeding her son, however determined to ebook an appointment together with her gynaecologist when the lump didn’t disappear. After a mammogram – which couldn’t detect the most cancers because the lump was on her chest – her gynaecologist concluded that it was seemingly a small fibroid cyst. To make sure, she despatched Could Yee to a breast surgeon specialist, who echoed her sentiments, saying that whereas it was “nothing suspicious”, it ought to nonetheless be eliminated.

Could Yee felt reassured that the second medical opinion confirmed the benign prognosis. “In my thoughts, all the things was okay,” she recollects. “I even went on a household vacation first. After I got here again, we scheduled a day surgical procedure in September to take away it.”

In the course of the operation, the surgeon eliminated the lump and did a biopsy on the spot. Alarmingly, they discovered traces of most cancers within the lump. After notifying Could Yee’s husband (“He was shocked, after all,” she says dryly about his response. “Practically fell off the chair.”) and getting his consent, the surgeon then went on to take away 13 lymph nodes for additional evaluation, whereas Could Yee was nonetheless underneath anaesthesia.

It was solely when she awakened from surgical procedure that she was knowledgeable that she had breast most cancers. “It was scary. My complete world got here crashing down. I went in for a easy day surgical procedure, nevertheless it turned a most cancers prognosis.”

The subsequent 48 hours had been a blur. When the outcomes lastly got here in, she was recognized with stage 2A slow-growing breast most cancers. “The most cancers solely travelled to 1 lymph node, fortunately. Pondering again, I should have had it for years. It simply didn’t present itself as a result of it was a really gradual rising factor,” she says.

Household is all the things

Could Yee spent the next 4 months with luggage of chemical substances dripped into her physique as she needed to bear 4 rounds of chemotherapy and 30 days of radiation. “Chemotherapy was actually horrible, nevertheless it was mandatory, so I stored telling myself, ‘You simply should do it. There’s no approach out, and the more durable you battle it, the more serious it feels. So should you keep optimistic, the probabilities of you getting out of it will likely be higher’,” she says.

On the similar time, her father was additionally battling acute myeloid leukaemia. She determined to not inform him about her most cancers, and he handed away after her first session of chemotherapy.

“It was a really darkish time for some time,” she admits. “It was painful, essentially the most horrible factor anybody would ever should undergo, however trying again, I’m glad I pulled via it.”

There’s no approach out, and the more durable you battle it, the more serious it feels.

She stored herself busy by forcing herself to train to be able to regain her energy. Yoga classes and fitness center exercises with a private coach crammed her days all through the 4 months of chemotherapy. Exercising was acquainted and comfy; she had all the time cherished figuring out – whether or not it was kick-boxing or working – however she might barely discover the time to train after giving beginning.

Consuming was additionally a battle, however she pushed herself to swallow each chew. “I had no urge for food resulting from chemotherapy and due to the medicine, my sense of style was off. However I had no selection, as a result of if I didn’t eat, I might not have the energy to battle again,” she explains.

Her mother-in-law, who lived in the identical constructing, would typically swing by with double- boiled soup, whereas her personal mom would whip up nourishing consolation meals like fish soup. “It took an entire village to get me properly once more,” says Could Yee.

Her husband was there for her each step of the best way, and her pals would assist her together with her son’s college runs in order that she might relaxation. “I’m eternally grateful, and I might do the identical for them, if they need to ever want it.”

Her kids, who had been solely 4 and one then, had been the driving power behind her will to get higher. “I needed to guarantee that my kids might develop up with their mum round,” her voice quivers as she holds up her left wrist, the place a gold bracelet engraved together with her kids’s names – Aiden and Kinley – hangs delicately.

“This bracelet was given to me by an excellent buddy of mine once I was going via most cancers remedy,” she chokes out her phrases, earlier than taking a second to compose herself. “She would inform me that if I’ve doubts, to only have a look at my hand, for these are the 2 people who I stay for. I haven’t taken this bracelet off ever since.”

This explicit supply of consolation helped anchor her via the darker days, together with the second when she skilled a really actual worry of relapse.

In April this 12 months, she went for a mammogram that recognized two little dots on her left breast. She needed to bear a painful needle aspiration biopsy, and he or she describes the wait as “every week of horror”. Thankfully, her outcomes had been clear.

“It was terribly traumatising, and I’m very grateful that it cleared, nevertheless it actually gave me a scare. After getting breast most cancers, the worry by no means goes away. There isn’t a day that goes by the place I don’t give it some thought, at the very least for a few seconds.”

I needed to guarantee that my kids might develop up with their mum round.

Combating robust

Though her journey has not been a straightforward one for her to recount, she hopes that sharing would assist others.

“Yearly, I get messages asking if I might do an interview or entrance a marketing campaign. At first, I used to be not prepared to take action, as a result of it was simply too painful for me to recollect,” she says.

She makes it a degree to assist anybody who comes calling, whether or not it’s a buddy of a buddy, or a chilly contact via Instagram and Fb. “I attempt to assist ease their fears and to inform them to maintain going,” she explains. “I inform them that they should be robust, to push via and to take a look at what’s value residing for.”

Via the completely different enterprise ventures she manages, together with jewelry manufacturers The Canary Diamond and its youthful offshoot ByCanary, she additionally raises funds for various cancer- associated charities.

Does she view herself as a fighter after going via such a battle? “Sure, I’m a fighter,” she solutions resolutely. “A very large one.”

His story: Glenn Yong

Glenn Yong was 4 years previous when he had his first brush with the C-word. His grandfather, a heavy smoker, was recognized with lung most cancers.

“I used to be very near my grandfather. The humorous factor is, I can’t keep in mind anything from [my toddler years] aside from the occasions that I spent with him,” the 26-year- previous actor and singer recollects. His grandfather doted on him and would typically take him to the playground, parks, in addition to neighbourhood mamak (sundry) retailers.

Following the most cancers prognosis, his grandfather handed away shortly after eradicating one lung. “I can’t keep in mind a lot from [his funeral], however I keep in mind pondering he was asleep,” he says, describing a second the place he stared at his grandfather’s physique and tried to name out to him to awaken. “After some time, I realised that he was gone, and that’s once I began to really feel unhappy.”

Then, when he was 15, a detailed mentor at church was recognized with stage 3 breast most cancers. “She’s a powerful determine in my life, any individual that I look as much as rather a lot,” shares Glenn.

He was shocked to see how most cancers can eat away a person. “After I noticed her going via most cancers, I didn’t understand it might take up a lot of the individual. It was powerful, as a result of when she went via chemo, she misplaced her hair, and regarded actually weak and fragile.” Fortunately, he says, she recovered after a 12 months of remedy, and 2022 marks her tenth 12 months as a survivor.

In 2021, a detailed childhood buddy was recognized with prostate most cancers. Glenn shares that it was his “first time seeing somebody [his] age undergo most cancers and it was surprising”. Previous to his buddy’s prognosis, most cancers in younger adults had appeared like a distant actuality, and it was tough seeing his buddy lose his energy throughout chemotherapy.

He recollects how regardless of battling most cancers, his buddy was current throughout Glenn’s efficiency on the Nationwide Stadium for Singapore Most cancers Society’s Relay for Life fundraising occasion in March 2022. “That efficiency felt further particular for me.” His buddy has since recovered, and is now cancer-free.

Performing on the fundraiser ignited a spark in Glenn, one which spurred him to develop into an advocate for most cancers consciousness. In Could this 12 months, he was formally appointed the Singapore Most cancers Society’s youngest goodwill ambassador.

“It ties in with why I needed to be within the trade within the first place.” He shares that being an activist has all the time been a childhood dream of his. “Performing and music are my passions, however being an activist is a calling. Past discovering success, I wish to discover significance within the issues that I do. It’s completely different once I could make actual change in an individual’s life, and actively take part in a trigger that I imagine in.”

A part of his obligations as ambassador embody embarking on college excursions to boost consciousness about most cancers and the significance of sticking to a wholesome life-style. He would normally carry out a few songs, accompanied by a chat that encourages the scholars to not smoke and drink, and to train.

“I’ll invite the scholars up on stage and we’ll do push-ups collectively – right here, let me present you,” he excitedly picks up his cellphone and pulls up a video of a current college tour. Screams and cheers resonate from his cellphone, and I watch as excited college students bounce up on their ft to catch a glimpse of the actor doing push-ups.

“It’s so humorous as a result of they’re all the time freaking out as if they’ve by no means seen push-ups! I gained’t inform them to go to the fitness center, as a result of they’re so younger, however I share such easy workouts that they will do at dwelling,” he says.

Past discovering success, I wish to discover significance within the issues that I do.

Rise to fame

On the subject of childhood, the actor shared that he was a “moderately naughty child who cherished gaming”. When he was in major college, he watched Singapore movie director Jack Neo’s movie I Not Silly (2002) and swore to himself that he would by no means drop to the EM3 educational stream, the place “weaker” college students in major colleges had been banded in Singapore’s former schooling system.

“The humorous factor is, once I was 10 years previous in Main 4, I used to be in one of the best class. And after telling myself I’ll by no means be in EM3, I discovered myself in EM3 the very subsequent 12 months in Main 5, after I developed an dependancy to MapleStory,” he says with a chuckle.

Moreover serving as (ineffective) motivation, the movie left a deep impression on him – it was the primary time he ever cried throughout a film. “It left a deep impression as I realised that motion pictures can transfer individuals’s hearts.”

The clincher, nevertheless, got here when he watched crime-comedy movie Catch Me If You Can (2002). It was then that he knew he needed to be an actor. “I noticed how Leonardo DiCaprio might play so many various roles, and it made me realise that as an actor, you may play out completely different lives. I feel it’s so thrilling in comparison with residing one life in itself.”

And he has since lived many fictional lives, in his varied appearing roles. He made his appearing debut in a supporting position in 2019 tv drama The Good Combat, adopted by an look in tv collection Victory Lap in 2020. These two years had been tough as he was pursuing a college diploma in advertising on the similar time.

“I might movie my takes, after which throughout my breaks, I might be engaged on group initiatives on set,” he recollects. He additionally paid for his college tuition charges himself, so he took up odd jobs together with ushering and waitering. He recollects the awkwardness of ready on movie star pals at an occasion, however he says that the expertise galvanised him to work even more durable and succeed.

His large break got here when he was unexpectedly forged because the male lead for director Jack Neo’s Ah Women Go Military film in 2021. He had auditioned for a smaller position, however to his shock, the director known as the following day and provided him the male lead. “I used to be over the moon and screaming on the cellphone,” he recollects, laughing. “It’s surreal to work with Jack. All I can say is that it’s a dream come true. I might have by no means anticipated it as an 11-year-old watching [his film] I Not Silly.”

Wanting up

Glenn could also be considered one of Singapore’s hottest younger skills now, however he had his fair proportion of detractors as an aspiring actor and singer. “Actuality is harsh, and never all the things is a mattress of roses. The [entertainment] trade isn’t all glitz and glamour,” he says.

In an interview with on-line information web site The Mothership, he revealed how he had been back- stabbed and gossiped about. A well-publicised dispute with actress Eleanor Lee had additionally made native headlines, which he declined to elaborate on throughout this interview.

As a substitute, Glenn has shifted his give attention to considered one of his largest sources of motivation: his household. He needs to have the ability to help his dad and mom financially – his father is a tour information and his mom a house baker – and provide them a extra comfy life.

Within the whirlwind of the previous couple of years, he has barely had time to take a break. Today, he tells me, he has been pondering rather a lot about psychological well being. “I wouldn’t say I’ve melancholy, however I do really feel depressed once in a while. There are nights that I can’t sleep as a result of I’ve so many unfavorable ideas. I keep in mind there was as soon as once I simply awakened and I all of the sudden teared,” he sighs. “This has by no means occurred to me earlier than.”

Is it the stress that’s attending to him? “Sure, and in addition the expectations. I really feel like I’ve to achieve all the things I do, or else I’ll disappoint [everyone].” He gestures to his cellphone. “With social media, all the things appears to be like so excellent, proper? There will likely be occasions once I assume: What if I meet a fan or an individual and I don’t meet as much as their expectations of who I’m? What in the event that they really feel upset after assembly me?”

I really feel like I’ve to achieve all the things I do, or else I’ll disappoint [everyone].

I ask how he has been studying to get previous this hurdle, and he takes a quiet second to ponder his reply. “I suppose, properly, what I normally do is to persuade myself that I don’t should please everybody. For each one one who doesn’t like me, I’ve 10 others that possibly do. So I ought to simply be assured in myself.” A robust help system, consisting of his household, shut pals, in addition to his supervisor and staff, additionally helps.

Via the completely different endeavours he undertakes, he seeks to deal with psychological well being points and lift consciousness. Glenn’s first English single Up Up was launched earlier this 12 months, and the hip-hop observe encapsulates his experiences within the trade thus far. The lyrics describe being betrayed by these he thought of his shut pals, and convey a daring defiance in opposition to those that scoffed at his goals. It’s a tune meant to encourage one to maintain transferring up regardless of the percentages.

He shares that he’s engaged on a few new songs proper now, and although he’s tight-lipped on the main points, it wouldn’t be a shock if the songs tie in together with his advocacy work.

He explains: “As Steve Jobs as soon as mentioned, the people who find themselves loopy sufficient to assume they will change the world, are those who do.”

PHOTOGRAPHY Joel Low, assisted by Eddie Teo
CREATIVE DIRECTION & STYLING Windy Aulia, assisted by Joanzine Lee, Jeon Jae Gained & Elrica Tan
ART DIRECTION Ray Ticsay
HAIR Edward Chong/ Evolve Salon, utilizing Oribe & Manisa Tan, utilizing Anticollectivepro.sg
MAKEUP Toni Tan, utilizing MAC Cosmetics & Zoel Tee, utilizing Dior Beaut