Iron Woman

Fitness fanatic Lim Chiew Fong refused to let cancer change the way she lived – and exercised her way back to health

She goes to the gym six mornings a week after dropping her children off at school. Her sports routine also consists of vigorous roller-blading once a week at the East Coast Park, frequent outdoor jogs and yoga lessons.

This could be a story of a fitness fanatic.

But really, it is about Ms Lim Chiew Fong, 45, a homemaker and mother of two, who fought breast cancer as if it never hit her.

She is toned, vibrant and daringly fashionable, not what one would expect of a patient who, not so long ago, was suffering from advanced-stage breast cancer.

Her doctor, Dr Khoo Kei Siong, Deputy Medical Director, Senior Consultant Medical Oncologist and Physician of Parkway Cancer Centre, said: “Chiew Fong is truly an exceptional patient. She is highly motivated and took her recurrence in its stride without any hint of self-pity.”

In 2001, Ms Lim was diagnosed with early breast cancer. She underwent a lumpectomy, radiotherapy and hormonal therapy.

This was followed by regular check-ups and Ms Lim thought her cancer was gone.

But over Christmas 2004, she found bleeding from one of her breasts. Things came to a head when she was soon hit by a sudden onset of blurred vision while dining at a restaurant with her husband.

The next day, she experienced a severe headache and vomiting, and had to be admitted to the A&E at Gleneagles Hospital.

A thorough blood test and scan revealed a tumour at the back of her eye, and another on the right lobe of her head. Ms Lim was then referred to the Parkway Cancer Centre in January 2005 where she first saw Dr Khoo.

Dr Khoo said: “At that time, the cancer had spread to the brain, her eye, bones, lungs and the liver. She had metastatic breast cancer.”

“Recurrences can be difficult to detect when they are small and not causing symptoms. Nevertheless, it is important to go for regular follow-ups by the doctor. Regular examinations, blood tests and X-rays may sometimes help to detect recurrence before they become symptomatic,”Dr Khoo explained.

Chiew Fong was treated with radiotherapy to the eyes and the brain followed by six cycles of chemotherapy. She had a good response and there was no detectable evidence of cancer at the end of the treatment.

Dressed in her running attire, Chiew Fong would jog 20 minutes to the hospital for her radiation, then jog home after.

She said: “I had stage four breast cancer. But what is stage four? It is a form of classifying severe cancer that medical science could not solve.”

“But new forms of treatment are constantly being discovered. I did not think my cancer was terminal. “

“My husband was more affected but it’s not me to turn emotional. I don’t look back or regret mistakes that can’t be rectified. To me, there was a problem to be solved and I worked practically at the solution. I looked ahead.”

“I didn’t feel sick, why should I? Staying positive is my greatest task if I have to fight this. “

“I didn’t even feel like I had to talk to anybody about my condition.”

Ms Lim’s chemotherapy resulted in hair loss by her third session and she took it all in her stride.

She did not wait for the balding to worsen but made a choice to have her hair shaved. She then bought a $2,000 wig made of real hair and had her stylist cut, colour and style it so she could use it every day, even when she went to the gym.

She then started on hormonal therapy comprising a combination of an injection every three months and a daily tablet.

Currently, she is also receiving a monthly injection which helps to strengthen the bones. Her cancer has been in remission since.

Dr Khoo Kei Siong
Deputy Medical Director
Senior Consultant Medical Oncologist and Physician
MBBS, M.Med, MRCP, FRCP, FAMS
Parkway Cancer Centre