For most students, preparing for exams is stressful enough. But for Lee Zheng Quan, it was a fight on two fronts, studying for STPM while battling cancer.
The 20-year-old from Sultan Sulaiman College recently achieved a CGPA of 3.59 in his STPM, a result made even more impressive by the fact that he was undergoing treatment for stage 2 lymphoma during his studies.
According to Sin Chew Daily, his cancer diagnosis came in 2022, right before his SPM trial exams. While others were busy revising, Lee was already starting chemotherapy.
“Even though I felt weak and dizzy all the time, I didn’t want to give up,” he said.
Image credits: Sin Chew Daily
Not going to give in, not going to back down
Determined not to let his condition hold him back, Lee went on to continue Form 6 in the Social Science stream. But soon after, he had to take a two-month break from school to go through radiation therapy. By the time he returned, he had missed a lot, but he never lost sight of his goal.
“It was tough catching up, but I really wanted to prove that I could still do it,” he shared.
Proving that determination is key to success, Lee reached the target he had set for himself. “I’m happy I didn’t let the illness stop me from achieving what I wanted”, he said. Thanking his parents, teachers, and his doctor, Dr Ganesh, for supporting him throughout the journey, Lee revealed that their encouragement gave him the strength to push forward.
“I’ve learned that you don’t always do things to impress others. Sometimes, you do it for yourself, to see how far you can go when you don’t give up,” Lee said.
His story is a powerful reminder that determination and heart can carry you through even the hardest of times.
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