KUALA LUMPUR: Former world No. 1 Datuk Seri Lee Chong Wei is ready to speak publicly about his battle with cancer, hoping his story will inspire others fighting the disease.
Speaking at the Beyond Greatness live talk at Idea Live Arena in Petaling Jaya on Saturday, the three-time Olympic silver medallist said he needed time before opening up about the painful chapter.
"After I fell ill, many organisations wanted me to share my experience with others fighting cancer. It's not that I didn't want to come forward; I just wasn't ready yet," said Chong Wei.
"Even now, I haven't shared very much about my illness. But I want to encourage those who are sick, to tell them to persevere."
Chong Wei said opportunities to speak about his journey led him to reconsider how much he was prepared to disclose.
"I told myself that maybe it's time I shared with everyone what I went through when I was ill," he said.
Chong Wei was diagnosed with early-stage nose cancer in 2018, forcing him to withdraw from the World Championships and the Jakarta-Palembang Asian Games.
The BA of Malaysia confirmed his illness in September that year while he was undergoing treatment in Taiwan.
Chong Wei had 33 sessions of proton therapy, a regime he said left him unable to speak or eat by the third week.
Recalling the ordeal, he said he remained grateful to the friends who travelled to Taiwan to support him.
"In Taiwan, I underwent more than 30 rounds of radiation therapy. That was the most painful time, but it has passed," he said.
"Those 30-plus sessions were very hard to endure. I'm truly grateful to the many friends who flew from Malaysia to Taiwan to visit me."
Their visits kept him company and took his mind off the pain, especially when the sessions grew more punishing."
Although Chong Wei had hoped to return to competitive badminton and chase a fifth Olympic appearance, he retired in June 2019 after doctors advised him to prioritise his health.
Now, he hopes opening up will offer strength to those going through similar treatment.
"I hope everyone stays healthy. When this illness comes, we don't have a choice. We must undergo treatment. It's about how we persevere through it," he added.
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