#876: Breast Cancer, Muay Thai & Why Do People Ask Such Intrusive Questions? ft. Shermin Shu

In 2025, Muay Thai fighter Shermin Shu was thriving at work, training for her first pro fight and newly engaged to her partner, comedian Jacky Ng, at Hong Kong Disneyland. Then a lump she had brushed off turned out to be breast cancer. Through fear, hurtful comments and chemo, a nurse's reassurance and the Breast Cancer Foundation survivors helped her keep fighting.

𝗔𝗱𝗱𝗶𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻𝗮𝗹 𝗟𝗶𝗻𝗸𝘀

Breast Cancer Support - Breast Cancer Foundation (BCF)

@bcfsg | Instagram

Breast Cancer at 30 | Straits Times

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• Haresh: A Microcosmic Urbanity | Heng Ee Sim
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(00:00) Intro

(04:15) What Is a Pink Warrior?

(05:10) From the Disneyland Proposal to Fight Camp

(06:08) Brushing Off the Signs During Training

(07:52) Breaking Down in the Office Toilet Mirror

(08:54) Polyclinic Visit, Biopsy and Diagnosis

(10:50) Stage Two, Then the Lymph Node Surprise

(12:30) Jackie's Reassurance While Away in Australia

(14:58) "We're Taking Things One by One"

(16:13) Coping Through Humour (and Comforting Everyone Else)

(20:13) Inappropriate Comments

(21:48) Turning Awkward Comments Into Teachable Moments

(23:52) Why She Chose to Share Positivity Online

(25:01) Quitting Cancer TikTok

(27:21) The 10-Hour Surgery That Proved She Was Stronger Than She Thought

(31:15) From Fight Goals to Simply Showing Up

(32:57) Surgery, IVF, Chemo, Radiation: The Treatment Roadmap

(36:30) Don't Push Your Health Aside

(38:50) Why We Fear Seeing a Doctor

(40:47) Shaving Her Head Before the Chemo Did It For Her

(44:09) Finding the BCF Young Women's Support Group

(46:06) The Chemo Port She Thought Never Needed

(49:26) "Cancer Is Not Like a MediaCorp Drama"

(51:21) How Cancer Changed Her View of Art and Event Planning

(54:29) Learning to Accept Her Body in the Mirror

(56:50) What She Hopes Women Take Away This October

(58:41) Where to Find BCF

(59:39) One Shiok Thing

(1:05:33) Post-Interview Reflections

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