Leon Jay Williams said the diagnosis came so suddenly he had little time to process it. Photos: Leon Jay Williams/Instagram
Singaporean actor Leon Jay Williams, known for his sunny image, was recently diagnosed with stage II thyroid cancer.
The 49-year-old first revealed the condition in an exclusive Dec 8 interview with Taiwanese newspaper United Daily News.
Williams returned to Singapore in 2020 after more than 20 years in Taiwan and China, where he made his name with Taiwanese idol dramas like La Robe De Mariee Des Cieux (2004) and Green Forest, My Home (2005).
The artiste, who is of English, German, Japanese and Chinese descent, is married to a Taiwanese, Joyce, and they have a 10-year-old daughter.
Williams went for a vacation to an Indonesian island with his family in August and had back and waist pain after returning to Singapore.
The doctors recommended a full health screening after hospital check-ups showed no abnormalities. A magnetic resonance imaging scan revealed a 3cm malignant tumour in his thyroid.
The actor underwent two operations in September at a private hospital in Singapore to remove tumours measuring 3cm and 1.1cm.
He was hospitalised again in October for five days to undergo radiation therapy. The total cost for the three hospital stays amounted to about S$166,000, according to Singapore’s Shin Min Daily News in a Dec 9 report.
Williams said the cancer diagnosis came so suddenly he had little time to process it. Concerned that the radiation exposure might affect his family, he moved into an empty condominium unit he owned to stay alone for about one week, much like self-isolation during the Covid-19 pandemic.
The artiste, who is currently in Japan, told Shin Min that accompanying his daughter on this skiing holiday became his biggest motivation during his treatment.
“I usually arrange trips together with my daughter during her school holidays. We had already planned for a skiing trip six months ago and she was really looking forward to it,” he told the newspaper.
“I didn’t want my illness to disappoint her, and I hoped her childhood memories would include us enjoying holidays together.”
Williams also shared his journey on social media on Dec 9.
“I was diagnosed with thyroid cancer a few months ago and my whole world crumbled in those early days of uncertainty,” he wrote in English and Chinese. “After reality set in, I just decided to face the consequences positively and go through the process of getting better.”
Williams said things are looking up for him for now, but the fight with cancer is not over.
“Monthly visits to the doctor for blood tests and taking pills every day for life has become part of my new routine,” he wrote.
The actor also talked about his concerns after his diagnosis.
“The thought of not being able to see my daughter grow up was my greatest fear,” he wrote. “I also did not like worrying my 85 year-old mother. At her age, she shouldn’t have to worry about anything any more.”
Williams said his bucket list went out the window.
“I did not wish to travel the world, direct/produce a movie, make more money, buy a bigger house or fancier car etc,” he wrote. “Surprisingly, I just wanted to get back to my regular daily routine and spend time with my loved ones by simply having a meal and a laugh.”
He added: “I will end by saying I don’t know what the future holds for me, but I’m savouring every day I have and enjoying the present moment.” - The Straits Times/Asia News Network
