Ex-SIA stewardess, 31, fighting most aggressive form of brain cancer, says she's not making the illness her identity

Teresa Hon was diagnosed with glioblastoma, the most aggressive and fastest-growing type of brain cancer.

A former Singapore Airlines stewardess, Hon, 31, had left the airline and was working at a retail outlet in Marina Bay Sands when she began experiencing severe headaches.

Despite being prescribed painkillers, the pain built to a "hammering" intensity.

She vomited everything she ate, and continued retching even on an empty stomach.

An MRI scan revealed a tumour so large it appeared to cover almost a third of her brain.

It was later diagnosed as grade 4 glioblastoma, with a size of more than 6cm.

Before the surgery

Hon was admitted to hospital on Dec. 10, 2025, and began having seizures.

Her husband, Bjorn Chua, a senior director at a real estate agency, recalled the harrowing experience of watching her struggle.

He told CNA Lifestyle: "She was gripping her hair so tightly and pulling it so hard that I could not open her hands. I was really afraid she would pull her scalp out so I held the centre of her long hair to stop her from pulling it out while waiting for doctors and nurses to calm her down (with medication).”

On the morning of her surgery, Hon was calm.

Chua recalled her telling him: "Don't worry, I'll be fine."

He said: "I don't know why she had that kind of unspoken strength then. It could be because of the pain that she had gone through."

Her surgeon could not remove the tumour in full as it was close to parts of the brain controlling vital functions, and doing so would have risked speech loss, hearing loss or paralysis.

More than 40 per cent of the tumour was removed.

The surgery was expected to take four to six hours, but the neurosurgeon emerged in just two-and-a-half.

Chua told CNA Lifestyle he panicked, thinking his wife had died.

The surgery was a success.

Chua found his wife awake when he visited her in the intensive care unit shortly after.

Chua said he was shocked to find her smiling and greeting him, and said he was just relieved to have her back.

'I woke up a different person'

Hon remembers nothing of the weeks leading up to her surgery.

When her awareness returned after the operation, she told CNA Lifestyle: "I woke up a different person."

Her face was swollen and her eyes looked different.

Steroids she was taking to reduce inflammation caused dramatic weight gain, taking her from an XS or S to an M or L in the weeks that followed.

During her hospitalisation, she temporarily lost her usual inhibitions, at one point asking nurses to sing her favourite Jay Chou songs.

This behavioural change resolved about a month after her discharge.

She was discharged on Dec. 29, 2025, and went on to undergo nearly six weeks of daily radiation therapy, followed by chemotherapy.

Speaking to Mothership, Hon said her recovery extended well beyond surgery.

She said:

"There were many challenges, both physically and emotionally. The surgery, radiotherapy, chemotherapy, and their side effects were difficult to endure. There were days when the side effects were overwhelming and the uncertainty of the future weighed heavily on me. There were days I grieved the person I used to be. Days I looked in the mirror and barely recognised myself, not just physically, but emotionally and spiritually."

Hon added that weakness in her left knee required months of physiotherapy and water therapy to rebuild her strength.

She said that even now, some days are harder than others, but sees the positive side of things.

She also said: "Even today, there are good days and difficult days, but every small improvement is a victory."

Family rallied around her

Chua put work on hold and gave up sleep to be there for his wife.

Knowing she missed her hair, he helped her pick scabs from her scalp with tweezers to encourage new hair growth.

Both of Hon's in-laws were also by her side throughout her recovery.

She told Mothership: "One of the most touching moments for me was my in-laws cared for me so lovingly right after I was discharged from the hospital. Knowing I needed a healthy diet, my mother-in-law prepared three to five meals for me every single day without fail."

She added that both in-laws often gave up their own rest while still juggling their errands and time with their grandchildren, and that their quiet selflessness left a lasting impression on her.

Her mother-in-law also offered to sell her flat to help cover medical bills, estimated at between S$300,000 and S$400,000.

The couple declined, but were deeply moved.

Hon's sister flew in from Penang for a month to help care for her, and continues to send daily messages of love.

Faith as an anchor

A pivotal moment in Hon's recovery came from an unexpected source, a church testimony that moved her to tears.

Hon told Mothership that her faith was deeply strengthened after hearing Kenny Lee, a member of New Creation Church, share his testimony somewhere in April.

Lee had undergone brain surgery himself and spoken about his long road to recovery through physiotherapy.

She said: “His story resonated deeply with me because I knew exactly what those difficult days felt like. He ended his testimony with this bible phrase that I would never forget: 'We walk by faith not by sight.' In that moment, I was reminded that God is faithful."

She added that hearing Lee's story gave her renewed hope, and deepened her belief that the same God who carried him through his journey would do the same for her.

Current status

Hon has since completed every cycle of chemotherapy and is now under close monitoring, with regular MRI scans, monthly blood tests, IV drips and follow-up appointments with her three doctors.

Her tumour has shrunk to less than half its original size.

She is gradually regaining her mobility and returning to golf.

Gratitude for her medical team

Hon expressed deep gratitude to her doctors and the hospital staff who cared for her throughout.

She told Mothership: "I was placed in the hands of my neurosurgeon, Dr Prem Pillay. There is no way to fully express how grateful I am for the life he helped to restore. He is more than a doctor. I will forever carry this gratitude in my heart."

She also thanked her radiation oncologist, doctors Edward Yang and Valerie Yang from OncoCare, as well as nurses and therapists who she said "treated me with love and kindness during one of the most difficult periods of my life".

Her message to others

Hon told Mothership that her journey has been one of the most painful and transformative experiences of her life, teaching her that strength does not always look the way we expect.

She said she discovered resilience and faith in herself she never knew she had.

To others facing a similar diagnosis, Hon said she wanted them to know that their illness does not define who they are or what their future holds.

She urged them to choose courage, faith and hope above all else.

She said: “Brain cancer became part of my story, but it did not become my identity.”

And to anyone reading her story:

"Cancer changed my life but it did not define my life. Even in our darkest moments, hope can still exist. Treasure your loved ones, cherish your health and never take another day for granted. If sharing my journey helps even one person feel less alone or gives someone the courage to keep fighting, then every part of this journey has been worthwhile."