PUBLISHED ONFebruary 14, 2024 11:43 AMByBhavya RawatThis man gave up his retirement dream to stand by his wife in sickness.
And on this Valentine's Day, he is just grateful that he can stand by her in health.
Lim Koon Seng, 58, and his wife had worked tirelessly for five years in their bid to relocate their family of four to Armidale in New South Wales, Australia as it was their biggest dream.
His story was told through an Instagram post by DBS, as part of their Humans of DBS series.
The couple sold their home in Singapore, secured a one-year lease for a house and bought new furniture to start their new life Down Under some five years ago.
They had also enrolled their children, then aged two and four, in a childcare facility in Armidale.
However, after only one month in Australia, Lim's wife was diagnosed with stage three breast cancer.
Her required treatment included radiotherapy, chemotherapy and surgery, but the nearest treatment facility to them was in Melbourne, which was a three-and-a-half-hour flight away.
"I remember our first trip there - hastily stuffing our belongings into duffel bags, strapping them and our bumbling toddler on a baby carrier across my body with our preschooler trailing behind," Lim recounted.
"I was pushing my wife on a wheelchair (her knees were giving her problems then) across crowded airports, planes and hospitals, for examinations and tests," he added.
With no extended family and few friends in Armidale, this constant back and forth started to take a toll on the couple.
As a result, Lim and his wife made the difficult decision to move back to Singapore to continue her treatment.
Moving back to Singapore was heartbreaking for the couple, who felt as if their dreams had died, but it also opened new doors for them.
Lim's wife found solace and strength in cancer survivor support groups while undergoing treatment. Five years later, she is cancer free and continues to support other cancer survivors.
"She's joined those same groups to become that pillar of strength for others," Lim said.
Previously a university lecturer, Lim's wife is also a volunteer teacher for underprivileged children.
Lim, meanwhile, also set out on a new path and now works at DBS as an executive director of site reliability engineering.
He is currently working on a project to automate system updating processes.
The couple have been married for 26 years.
"Looking back, our struggles and eventual triumph over cancer has changed the way I approach challenges, be it in my personal life or at work," Lim said.
"My current motto: Bad things happen - try to make the best of it. Create a plan of action and go for it. Maybe you'll find, it's not that bad after all. Yes, I am a perpetual optimist!" He added.
Lim's wife is still on medication to prevent her cancer from relapsing, which affects her sleeping patterns and results in her having trouble going to sleep and waking up.
The couple found a compromise on their parental duties despite this.
"I handle the 'morning shift' of getting our children ready for school. When they return home after school, she's on the 'afternoon shift', helping them with their homework."
Although he has given up his dream, Lim continues to count his blessings this year.
"Truth be told, it no longer matters where we are based, I'm just thankful our family is whole and together," he said.
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bhavya.rawat@asiaone.com
