“I Like Who I Am Now”: Scott’s Journey With Lymphoma and Finding Strength in Uncertainty

In 2023, Scott’s life looked like it was right on track. At 37, he had built a solid 13-year career in the financial industry, was three years into private banking, and had just applied for a BTO flat. He was even preparing to propose to his partner. 

What began as minor swelling around his eyes turned into weeks of discomfort. “At first, I thought I’d just put on weight from stress,” he recalls. But when the swelling persisted and his eyes began tearing constantly, he sought help at the Singapore National Eye Centre. A biopsy of his eyelid revealed the news he never expected—cancer. 

It was a full-stop moment in what had felt like a comma in life. 

From Stability to Shock 

Receiving the diagnosis over the phone left Scott stunned. “I was speechless. I didn’t even know how to tell my mum,” he says. The irony wasn’t lost on him—his mother had also battled lymphoma years earlier. Now, she was reliving that fear through her son. 

Scott’s siblings stood by him through every appointment and test, including painful procedures like a bone marrow biopsy. While doctors confirmed that his cancer had no cure, his medical team at NCCS mapped out a treatment plan focused on control and quality of life. 

But the physical pain was just the beginning. 

Losing Love, Finding Rock Bottom 

As Scott began treatment, the side effects were relentless: nausea, diarrhoea, insomnia, and overwhelming fatigue. “There were days I couldn’t walk straight. My brother had to hold me up just to get me to the bathroom.” 

Emotionally, things fell apart. The toll of illness and treatment changed him. His once stable relationship crumbled under the pressure. “We had a huge argument, and I told her I needed space. She didn’t come back. That broke me.” 

The loss plunged Scott into depression. “She had been my pillar. After she left, I didn’t want to do anything. I’d cry in my mother’s arms.” Despite having worked his way up from an ITE graduate to private banking, Scott felt like everything he had built was gone. 

A Second Chance Through Support 

What turned things around was something he hadn’t expected to help: the Adolescent and Young Adult (AYA) Programme at NCCS. Initially skeptical, he thought he was being used as a test case. “I felt like a guinea pig,” he says candidly. But in time, he came to value the programme’s integrated approach to mental, emotional, and physical care. 

Through AYA, he was referred to social worker Amanda and received counselling, medication to manage his mood and sleep, and ongoing support. “They really tried to see the whole person, not just the cancer,” Scott reflects. 

One major shift for him was learning to manage his anger, something he admits he struggled with deeply during treatment. “This cancer forced me to look at myself. And honestly, I like who I am now.” 

Redefining Success 

Though Scott’s illness means he now undergoes quarterly blood tests and biannual PET scans, he’s found a new sense of purpose. While his current employer has been supportive—even redesignating him to a non-sales role to accommodate his health—he’s also started giving back. 

He volunteers to speak at patient sharings and career talks, particularly for young cancer survivors. “A lot of us are caught in the middle — not fresh grads, not near retirement. We still have decades of work ahead. It’s a hard place to be when you’re sick.” 

Scott is also one of the winners of the 2026 Singapore Health Inspirational Patient & Caregiver Awards (IPCA), which celebrate the best of patients, caregivers, and partners who have shown exemplary show of strength, courage, and resilience. 

Scott hopes his story can help others navigate this uncertainty. “If I can inspire even one person, that gives my life meaning. It’s not like when I was in depression, feeling lost. Now, I know why I’m still here.” 

Looking Ahead 

Today, Scott is back in a sales role, and continues to balance work, health, and advocacy. While his condition has no cure, he’s learned that healing isn’t always about the end goal; sometimes, it’s about learning to live meaningfully in the middle of uncertainty. 

“I used to think cancer took everything from me. But now I see it gave me something in return—clarity, perspective, and a better version of myself.”