50-year-old Singaporean actor William Li made headlines last year when it was revealed he had been diagnosed with thyroid cancer. Fortunately, it was detected early and he underwent surgery and radiation therapy; his condition is now stable. In a recent interview, he shared that after nearly a year of treatment and recovery, his latest check-up results are good, with no further spread of cancer cells. This has been a relief for him, prompting him to rethink his approach to life and work.
William Li explained that after completing surgery last year, he underwent radiation therapy in November. At a follow-up appointment earlier this year, doctors confirmed his condition was stable, though he still needs regular blood tests every three months. Since part of his thyroid was removed, he has to take two hormone replacement pills every morning for the rest of his life. He feels fortunate that his recovery from surgery has gone well, with the scar on his neck barely visible. The entire surgery cost about 4 million TWD (approximately RM525,000), about which he said, “The doctors’ skills are really excellent—I feel it's very worth it.”
Regarding aftereffects, William Li admitted that his energy isn’t what it used to be and he gets tired more easily, though he added with a laugh that it might also be due to aging—“I’ll turn 50 next month.” Having regained his health, he recently took his wife and daughter on vacation to the Maldives. For him, the greatest significance of the trip wasn’t just relaxation, but also, after his illness, a renewed appreciation for the beauty of life. On his career, Li candidly revealed that he’s now in a semi-retired state and no longer pushes himself to take on as much work. “If there’s a good role or a great project, I’ll still accept it, but I won’t sacrifice my health for work like I used to.”
Source: United Daily News