62-year-old Yishun hawker diagnosed with stage four intestinal cancer, has completed chemotherapy
Despite being stricken with Stage Four intestinal cancer, a hawker in Yishun did not stop working, continuing even when he was undergoing chemotherapy.
This prompted an impressed Home Affairs Minister K. Shanmugam to call him a “fighter” in a Facebook post on Saturday (8 Nov).
Source: K Shanmugam Sc on Facebook
Shanmugam likes Yishun hawker’s carrot cake
The hawker, whom Mr Shanmugam referred to as “Teo”, runs a stall in Chong Pang Hawker Centre named Hai Nan Zai.
He has been serving up fried delicacies such as carrot cake and char kway teow for the past five years.
According to photos of the stall on Google Maps, it also sells oyster omelette and fried Hokkien mee.
Source: Google Maps
The minister’s favourite is carrot cake — and Mr Teo fries “a very good plate”, he said, describing it as “crispy, full of flavour with a hint of wok hei“.
Source: Google Maps
Yishun hawker didn’t undergo surgery, chose to change lifestyle instead
However, Mr Teo had to undergo chemotherapy due to his cancer diagnosis, said Mr Shanmugam, who is also an MP for Nee Soon GRC.
Despite his treatment, he still turned up for work, at times starting as early as 1.30am, when most Singaporeans are tucked into bed.
To cope with the side effects, he changed his lifestyle and diet, added the minister.
In an interview with 8world News, Mr Teo said doctors had recommended surgery but he chose to wait for three months and undergo chemotherapy and radiotherapy instead.
During the treatment, the 62-year-old slept early and woke up at 1am because “he’s used to it”, then he would head to the park to exercise for about two hours.
This would “energise” him for the whole day, when he would work from 6am to 2pm, he added.
Source: K Shanmugam Sc on Facebook
He’s now conscious of his dining habits, eating less for dinner and giving up drinking totally — ending a 40-year habit. He also smokes less frequently.
Yishun hawker says he has ‘conquered’ cancer
After 20 sessions of radiotherapy and six sessions of chemotherapy, Mr Teo professes to have “conquered” the disease and requires only regular check-ups.
Mr Shanmugam said the hawker told him that he had completed chemotherapy and would be going for his review soon.
The minister called him “inspiring” and “a fighter” and wished him a complete recovery.
Stall selected for Michelin Bib Gourmand
Incidentally, Hai Nan Zai was selected for the Michelin Bib Gourmand in 2021.
The Bib Gourmand is awarded to food establishments that “serve good quality food at a good value”, said Michelin.
It particularly noted the stall’s char kway teow, which is “cooked-to-order” with cockles and Chinese sausage — just like all char kway teow stalls in Singapore.
Source: Google Maps
Fans have raved about the wok hei, balanced flavours, and silky smoothness of Hai Nan Zai’s rendition of the dish.
Also read: Chinatown coffee stall owner dies from cancer aged 80, learnt to brew at 13
Chinatown coffee stall owner dies from cancer aged 80, learnt to brew at 13
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Featured image adapted from K Shanmugam Sc on Facebook.
