SHARES
A photographer/director himself, Nicky Loh has always been on various adventures to capture story-worthy imagery, ranging from delicate emotions to breath-taking sceneries. However, a diagnosis with primary mediastinal B cell lymphoma (a type of aggressive white blood cell cancer) took him down the road less travelled. Along his journey to seek treatment, fate brought him to Dr Kevin Tay, an Oncologist at OncoCare Cancer Centre. After a series of chemotherapy, Nicky achieved remission in March 2020.
“I used to work very hard, sometimes up to seven days a week. As a freelancer, my schedules were heavily dependent on the project requirements. On certain days, I would start as early as 5 am, and return home at 7 pm. This has been my routine for many years,” said Nicky as he described the nature of his job at the beginning of the interview.
First Warning Sign that Led to lymphoma Cancer Diagnosis
“My face and neck were swollen. After consulting a General Practitioner (GP), he first diagnosed me with lymph node infection, and allowed me to go home with medications,” said Nicky. Unfortunately, the swelling became worse three days later. “Another GP that I consulted later, recommended that I visit a hospital emergency department (ED) immediately.”
Wasting no time and following his doctor’s advice, Nicky visited the ED. The ED doctor on-call, referred him to an Ear, Nose and Throat (ENT) Specialist, who suspected that it might be more than just a lymph node infection. As it turns out, the ENT Specialist was correct with his initial diagnosis of lymphoma.
Indeed, investigations later discovered bulky lymph node masses (of approximately 11cm) in his lower neck and chest cavity. These masses were blocking the superior vena cava – the main vein carrying blood back to the heart. “If left untreated, I would have lost my life in 30 days.”
“I was admitted for 10 gruelling days,” he said. A right supraclavicular lymph node biopsy was done on 25 October 2019 to confirm his diagnosis. He also underwent a staging PET scan on 29 October 2019 to look for the extent of the disease, which showed involvement of lymph node masses in the chest and neck. In addition, a bone marrow biopsy was done, with the result being negative for lymphoma involvement. “Despite all the uncomfortable procedures, I kept telling myself that every procedure or medication is a small step to getting better. I wanted to live. I was the sole bread winner for my stay-at-home wife and my two-year-old son,” he said with determination.
Nicky Loh and his young boy, Nathan [Photo credit: Nicky Loh]
Dealing with Emotional Wreckage of Cancer Diagnosis
“I was not prepared for cancer. I was in my late thirties. Despite my busy schedule, I took time to exercise 40 minutes three times a week,” said Nicky. “I had enough sleep; I ate well by avoiding sweet and oily foods; furthermore, I even drank green tea as a good habit. I felt like the healthiest person one would ever meet, but why did cancer choose me despite all that?” he painfully recalled his early denial. “There were so many questions in my head: How did this happen? How did the cancer become so bad? What did I commit to deserve cancer?”
“When I broke the news to my wife, she was extremely devastated. However, we chose to keep the diagnosis to ourselves. We only told our parents five to six months later, when things were looking more positive,” he continued. “As much as we would have appreciated kind words from others, we wanted to focus on recovering from cancer. We thought that constant communication and updates with others on our cancer progress would aggravate us further emotionally. Hence, we chose to isolate ourselves for the first six months” he explained.
Fateful Visit by the Good Doctor from OncoCare Cancer Centre
“Initially, I was pursuing lymphoma cancer treatment with a haematologist. I was started on R-CHOP (a chemotherapy regimen with cyclophosphamide, doxorubicin, vincristine and prednisone, as well as the monoclonal antibody rituximab). Regardless, my sister encouraged me to seek second opinion on my treatment,” said Nicky.
As Dr Kevin Tay was his brother-in-law’s ex-schoolmate, Nicky was introduced to Dr Kevin. “Dr Kevin visited me and sat with me for two hours to explain about lymphoma and his proposed treatment plan. He suggested R-EPOCH (an enhanced R-CHOP regimen with etoposide as an addition), a chemotherapy regimen that would carry a higher success rate for remission,” he explained. “Besides that, Dr Kevin spoke fluent mandarin, which was especially important and reassuring to my Taiwanese wife for her to be on the same page.”
Soon after, Nicky began receiving treatment at OncoCare Cancer Centre. “I enjoyed my outpatient sessions at OncoCare. I was very well-taken care of by the nurses, as they took the effort to explain the procedures to keep us included in the treatment process.” He underwent six cycles of chemotherapy, with one R-CHOP cycle from the previous haematologist and five cycles of R-EPOCH at OncoCare Cancer Centre, with each cycle lasting 21 days. The chemotherapy spanned from 30 October 2019 to 8 March 2020.
Nicky undergoing chemotherapy [Photo credit: Alvelyn Alko]
Living Life to Fullest after Remission
After six cycles of chemotherapy, Nicky achieved complete remission on 23 March 2020, with end of therapy PET scan showing no more lymphoma. He is currently doing well and is on follow up every three to four months with Dr Kevin. “Being diagnosed with cancer has reminded me that – time is precious and limited. Therefore, I began to look out for meaningful ways to contribute.”
Husband and wife celebratory hug after completing the last chemotherapy [Photo credit: Alvelyn Alko]
He volunteered with the COVID-19 Migrant Support Coalition to distribute free meals to migrant. On top of that, he launched The Family Portrait Project to allow families to commemorate special moments during the circuit breaker amid COVID-19 pandemic, which was participated by more than 100 families to date.
“I also felt fortunate enough to have accumulated a sizable saving. I want to be with my son and experience him growing up. There are so many things that I want to teach him,” he said beamingly.
Forever Grateful for Second Chance at Life
“I am thankful to be able to meet a doctor that allows me to talk about my fears and ask questions. OncoCare Cancer Centre boasts a team of awesome professionals – skilled, yet caring and genuine. I am eternally indebted to Dr Kevin for keeping me alive so that I can continue to do what I love,” he said as he expressed his gratitude.
In response, Dr Kevin is full of fond memories for Nicky as well. “Nicky is a professional photographer – he gave me a nice photograph of the Marina Bay Area. He was recently involved in a charity to help the foreign workers during the COVID-19 pandemic, where he put up his photos to attract donations. I got a matching photo of Marina Bay and it is hanging in my clinic at Mount Alvernia. He is a very talented and positive guy, with a big heart for the underprivileged and poor,” Dr Kevin commented.
“People compliment that I am strong and brave for surviving cancer. Honestly, I only wanted to live. In order to survive, I had no choice but to endure each procedure and treatment. Look at it as a small inconvenience in life, a little bump along the journey,” Nicky brushed it off lightly before ending the session. “Cancer is not a death sentence. For me, it is just another chapter in life, and I refuse to let cancer define me.”
Nicky’s family portrait with his wife and son [Photo credit: Nicky Loh]
A Word from GetDoc
Always listen to your body. Any unexplainable body changes should prompt a visit to the doctor for further investigation. If you or your loved one experience unusual signs and symptoms, consult a doctor today for early diagnosis and treatment.
This patient testimony was brought to you by Oncocare Cancer Centre, Singapore.
Further reads:
- How to Spot Cancer Early – Beware of the Warning Signs [Part 1]
- How to Spot Cancer Early – Beware of the Warning Signs [Part 2]
Find an Oncologist in Malaysia, on GetDoc
Find an Oncologist in Singapore, on GetDoc
by Joanne Lee
Multipotentialite. Loves creating and seeing ideas come alive. View all articles by Joanne Lee.