Chelsia Chan was diagnosed with stage two breast cancer in 2016. Photo: Chelsia Chan/Facebook
When former singer Puan Sri Chelsia Chan was diagnosed with stage two breast cancer in 2016 and had to undergo chemotherapy, she tried her best to stay positive.
In a recent interview with media personality Wong Man Ling, Chan – whose full name is Chan Chau Ha – recalled discovering the malignant tumour during a medical check-up in Hong Kong.
“The doctor asked how long it had been since my last check-up. I said maybe three to five years.
“They asked me to lie down for an examination and after (checking), we knew (the cancer) was already in stage two, close to stage three,” said the 66-year-old Hong Kong-born artiste.
Chan – who has been living in Malaysia since marrying Lion Group chairman Tan Sri William Cheng in 1981 – described the tumour to be “quite severe”, necessitating a mastectomy.
She chose not to undergo breast reconstructive surgery following the procedure, explaining: “At my age, it doesn’t matter.”
Throughout her chemotherapy, Chan never cried.
While the treatments were “not too painful”, the Dark Side Of Your Mind singer became emotional when talking about her hair loss.
“Talking about this is scary. (My hair) fell out in clumps ... like something out of a movie.
“But I accepted it because I knew my hair would grow back,” she shared, adding that she never considered shaving her head.
“When you have a few strands left, you want (to keep them).
“My friend casually asked why not shave it all off at once, but I felt at the time that having some hair was better than none,” she said.
Today, Chan has already completed treatment but still takes medication to suppress the growth of cancer cells.
She also attends events to share her experience battling breast cancer and raise awareness about the illness.
