Terminally ill man expected to live till Oct still defying the odds, but says: ‘We shouldn’t be too greedy, right?’

After his diagnosis, Tan told Shin Min, he underwent surgery in August. However, during the operation, the tumour ruptured unexpectedly, causing blood clots which worsened his condition.

Last Oct, doctors told him his cancer was terminal and that he had only a year to live.

Returned to volunteering

After being discharged from hospital, Tan, a devout Buddhist, returned to volunteering. He has been counselling inmates since 2018, offering emotional support and encouragement to convicts.

After the Covid-19 pandemic, he shifted his sessions online and began corresponding with inmates via email. Since then, he has written hundreds of letters, keeping in touch with more than 50 inmates.

He spends about three hours a day writing emails, sharing current news and reflections on how to stay positive with the inmates. To better understand and counsel them, he is currently in his second year of pursuing a Master’s in forensic psychology at the Singapore University of Social Sciences.

In 2022, he started a non-profit group called The Robin Hood Squad, which brings together ex-offenders, their families, and volunteers to distribute food and care packs. The packs go to orphanages, nursing homes, and homes for people with intellectual disabilities.

The team now has about 20 members and carries out at least one activity every month. Mr Tan hopes to formally register the initiative as a charity, so that it can continue helping others even after he is gone.

Motivational letters that became a book

After his diagnosis, Mr Tan reached out to Ambulance Wish Singapore, a charity that helps terminally ill patients fulfill their last wishes. With their help, his letters were published under the title Dear Inmates: Daily Emails to Prisoners.

The book was launched in May this year at an event attended by more than 500 guests, including cancer patients and ex-offenders. The first 100 copies sold out at the event, while the remaining 100 were snapped up online.

Living with cancer

Tan has been a fitness enthusiast since his National Service days, going to the gym three to four times a week for over 20 years.

He took a short break after surgery but quickly returned to his routine, saying exercise helps both his body and mind.

The tumour on his liver measures 18cm wide, but it has not grown in the past six months. Smaller tumours have also shrunk after chemotherapy, and there are no signs of further spread.

Physically, Mr Tan said, he feels healthy and confident that he can live with cancer. But he remains sanguine, even if he indeed has little time left.

“I’ve already done so much for others. That’s enough. We shouldn’t be too greedy, right?”