Finding a New Voice: Cancer Survivor Teaches Others to Speak Again

Over a series of Whatsapp voice messages, Mr Sin Teong Choon tells his story. His voice is hoarse but each word is carefully spoken as he recounts his journey with laryngeal cancer, a disease that affected his voice box. 

In 2015, a visit to Mr Sin’s doctor about a heart issue ended up with an unexpected discovery: Stage four cancer, with the cancerous cells lurking behind his vocal cords. Mr Sin was told he only had a six-month prognosis unless he went through surgery to remove his voice box.  

“At the time, I felt conflicted and troubled,” he recounted. His children were also apprehensive, believing that their father would no longer be able to speak should he undergo surgical procedures. 

However, watching videos of laryngeal cancer survivors who continued to speak gave Mr Sin and his family hope. The more he watched, the more determined he was to bite the bullet and undergo surgery. “If these people could speak, I, too, might have a chance. So, I went ahead bravely and without delay.” 

Financial Worries

However, things were not so smooth sailing. Around the same time, Mr Sin’s wife was experiencing health problems and also had to undergo an operation. 

Faced with the difficult choice of whose health to prioritise, Mr Sin decided to put money up for his wife’s procedure. That, however, left him with nothing left to fund his own surgery. 

Thankfully, his doctor contacted a social worker who assisted Mr Sin. His friends also chipped in for his family’s expenses. This was a godsend as his children were still schooling at the time. 

Finding a New Voice 

Cancer patients who have had their vocal chords removed may lose their voice. However, there are ways to learn how to speak again. Mr Sin, for example, speaks with the assistance of a voice prothesis, although some survivors may not require such devices. 

After his surgery, friends encouraged Mr Sin to attend meetings of the New Voice Club. A support group by the Singapore Cancer Society, the club consisted of laryngeal cancer patients and survivors. Curious, he tagged along and initially observed from the side-lines. But before long, Mr Sin discovered he had a rare gift: To teach others to find their voice. 

He was so adept at helping others to communicate that he was invited to be an oesophagus speech training teacher with the New Voice Club. And so, “three months after my surgery, I began to teach others how to speak. I was very happy. To think, I actually had this ability to help others,” he said. 

For the past nine years, Mr Sin has faithfully volunteered with the club and is actively looking for ways to help even more patients. This is why he chose three of his former students to become volunteer teachers as well. “If I were to fall sick, who would teach? So I need others to help out so the New Voice Club can benefit even more people,” he reasoned. 

Being a volunteer is not just about giving – Mr Sin has also received much in return. “I feel fulfilled seeing my students regain their morale and to discover their capabilities. It feels good to help them have a new beginning, a new hope for the future,” he said.