Adrian Toh: SIA steward’s battle with lung cancer

“He was in good spirits. And we knew he wanted to be there,” Daniel recalled, explaining that they had remodelled the stage to accommodate Toh’s participation.

Toh’s former colleagues also recalled fond memories of him.

Former SIA stewardess Emylee, 36, said she always felt comfortable approaching Toh whenever she was unsure about something.

Though they had both left the airline, Emylee recalled sending Toh a text asking for help when her mother received a cancer diagnosis — and received a reply within seconds.

He sent her suggestions on what kind of diet her mother could follow, along with words of encouragement.

“You take care too ya Emily,” he had said. “Tough for cancer patient but also the caretaker too. Please remember I’m here if you need anything.”

Kept active despite condition

For his personal trainer, Jason, Toh’s story was one of resilience and strength. The pair trained together twice a week for over a year, before the illness began taking a toll on Toh’s body.

He last spoke to Toh on Aug 21, when the latter said he was looking forward to visiting the new gym Jason had opened.

That would be the last time they spoke.

Edwin, a close friend of Toh’s, said during the ceremony that he had first connected with Toh online after reading about his battle with cancer, which he found inspiring.

“For many who have that connection, interaction with Adrian, you would know that he’s a fighter. Nobody, in the midst of going through cancer treatment, would hit the gym, go for spin class, and doesn’t let the condition defeat him,” he said.

“That became a light, encouragement, for many others in Singapore and beyond. Giving them that hope, that fighting spirit.”

‘I’m not afraid to start all over again’

Toh’s determination to keep living life on his own terms was evident from the way he spoke about his diagnosis.

In a lighthearted Facebook post on Sept 8, 2023, he recounted that chemotherapy treatment had been going well and the results were promising, thanking family and friends for their support.

“And NO… my hair is still fully intact. (in case you are wondering),” he quipped.

Speaking to AsiaOne in October that year, Toh emphasised that his diagnosis “doesn’t rule (his) entire life”.

But his journey with cancer was far from over.

In another post on Aug 29, 2026, Toh explained that the cancer “kept coming back”, marking his third relapse in two and a half years. The cancer had spread to his brain and spine, leaving him “confined in a wheelchair”.

“I could allow myself and cancer to define my identity, or I could decide that it simply is just a chapter of my life. I chose the second one, and I’m not afraid to start all over again,” he says.

“Most importantly I discovered that life isn’t measured by how long we live, but how fully we choose to live every day with purpose,” he adds.

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