Mr Seow Tiang Keng and his Shih Tzu Salvador posing with his 1936 Armstrong Siddeley vintage car
We spotted Mr Seow Tiang Keng from a distance away - cloaked in tanned skin, donning a head of greyish-white hair and brandishing a fatherly exterior, the stout able-bodied man looked nowhere near a day over 65 years of age. The moment we settle down for the interview, there is no time wasted as Mr Seow's passion and exuberance for life shone through from his face and spirited character. The 73 year old, who is about to turn 74 in a couple of months' time, eagerly sets off in an enthusiastic chatter about his active lifestyle despite his age and zealously spreads out his portfolio of work and photos over the table, his face beaming with pride and joy as he shares with us his story. A proud father of two, to a daughter and son, and a new grandfather to his toddler grandson, Mr Seow's love for his family was undeniable - he readily scoured through his iPhone to show us pictures of his beloved family; pictures of his grandson zoomed up against the lens, his son's graduation photo as well as his pet dog of 12 years, Salvador, a Shih Tzu who had recently passed on to old age. When asked about his wife, Mr Seow revealed that she had passed on 22 years ago, but humorously added that he now has three mistresses - his vintage cars.
An aficionado of vintage cars, Mr Seow’s face lit up as he shared with us how his love for vintage cars stemmed during an overseas study stint in London, as he acquired a deep appreciation of the meticulous construction and timeless beauty of the cars. As the cars were not attuned to our local driving climate, Mr Seow took it upon himself to customise and modify the specifications and parts of the car to local standards, and gleefully declared that he takes them on a spin around his neighbourhood at Hong Leong Gardens every weekend, a curious sight his neighbours are now no stranger to.
With his intensity for life, it is hard to believe that behind Mr Seow's sparkling eyes, masks a story of strength and courage. The year was 2009 when Mr Seow first discovered blood in his stools. A trip down to the hospital diagnosed him with colorectal cancer. Mr Seow still vividly remembers the day his surgeon broke the news to him, while his son was by his side.
A state of calm - an unlikely reaction to a positive diagnosis for cancer, but that was exactly Mr Seow's state of mind upon receiving the news. A staunch Catholic, Mr Seow left his fate to his Maker and without hesitation decided to proceed with treatment. The treatment process wasn't easy, but Mr Seow wasn't alone, and he told us of how his daughter would load up movies into his laptop for him to watch during the chemotherapy process and how his son moved back to Singapore from England to be his dedicated caregiver.
Fast forward and it was not long before Mr Seow completed his treatment and triumphed over his battle with cancer. We asked him how cancer impacted his life and he told us of a 180 degree shift; once an introvert, Mr Seow transformed into an extroverted character as he considers his survival “a new lease of life” not to be taken for granted. Grateful at his second chance at life, he actively shares his experiences with other cancer patients so they may find hope too, and takes on more public speaking opportunities such as chairing public engineering lectures to students, another interest close to his heart.
Despite oozing with positivity and optimism, Mr Seow expressed that the road to recovery was not all rosy. Due to the side effects of chemotherapy, he experienced numbness and discomfort in his hands and soles which resulted in him having to wear soft shoes all the time. He also experienced incontinence, which posed a hazard and inconvenience to his lifestyle and job at Keppel FELS, which he stayed on at despite being diagnosed with cancer.
A victorious warrior against the fight with cancer, Mr Seow wants fellow cancer patients to know that the first step to defeating the disease begins with “acceptance”. He highlighted the importance of having the resolution to move on with treatment rather than feeling victimised by the disease, as confining oneself in a negative state of mind would only wear one down both mentally and physically. He also stressed the importance of possessing a strong willpower in order to emerge victorious in the battle.
With his unceasing thirst for knowledge and an insatiable quest for life, Mr Seow Tiang Keng is irrefutably a true warrior indeed!
To learn more about Colorectal Cancer, click here.
