From cancer patient to nurse

Gladys Leow, once a patient at the National Cancer Centre Singapore, is now a nurse at the very place she was once treated.

At 17, Gladys Leow walked into the National Cancer Centre Singapore (NCCS) with fear to be treated for cancer. Seventeen years later, she walks in the centre with confidence as an oncology nurse. Hers is a unique story unlike any other.

A shocking diagnosis early in life

In 2007, teenaged Gladys noticed a painless swelling on her neck. She visited a GP, but when it did not subside after a few weeks, she was referred to NCCS for further investigation. She had the lump in her neck surgically removed, and a biopsy showed that it was benign.

Just a year later, she found a lump in the same area and again it was removed. After the lump came back a third time, a surgery and biopsy in 2009 confirmed a diagnosis of early-stage, aggressive liposarcoma – a rare cancer with a high risk of recurrence that develops in fat cells.

A life interrupted

At the same time Gladys was first diagnosed and treated, she was enrolled in a design course in polytechnic. She enjoyed her studies and spending time with her friends, but because of recurring medical issues she had to take extended medical leave. At the end of her second year in the course, having exceeded the maximum medical leave and deferments allowed, Gladys decided to withdraw from polytechnic to focus on treatment and recovery.

In 2012, when she was 22, Gladys underwent another surgery to remove a recurring tumour affecting her neck and jaw. This time, the medical team strongly advised radiation therapy after surgery to prevent the tumour from regrowing. Unfortunately, radiation therapy can sometimes affect wound healing and in Gladys’ case, the surgical wound site did not heal properly. In 2014, Gladys was hospitalised for three months and had to undergo three additional surgeries to manage the complications. Because of damage that resulted from radiation, one of the surgeries involved removing necrotic, also known as dead, bone tissue in the jaw.

Throughout this difficult time, Gladys drew strength from her faith and close-knit family. Her family and church community provided unwavering support and encouragement.  Her parents and friends from church visited daily, and her two younger sisters spent time with her, doing their homework by her bedside after school every day.

Gladys and her family are extremely close-knit. In late 2024, her parents and one of her younger sisters visited South Korea together.

Her church community provided support and encouragement throughout Gladys’ journey. Here she is at a gathering with her ministry team.

Finding a new path

After the procedure which removed part of her jaw along with necrotic tissue, her lower jaw began to shift to the right and her upper jaw collapsed. This impacted her ability to eat and speak and caused visible changes in her appearance. As a young person, in the formative years of finding her own identity, this was a devastating blow. Gladys consulted with her surgeon about the possibility of reconstructive surgery, but as her condition was so complex, surgery had to be put on hold.

In 2015, Gladys received results of her scans showing that she was cancer-free! A major turning point for her, marking a new phase of life, Gladys took a year off to rest, work part-time and volunteer with the Children’s Cancer Foundation.

“I used this time to reflect on what I wanted to do next and started to think seriously about becoming a nurse,” said Gladys. “Although I had gone through a tough time, I was very inspired by the nurses and doctors who had taken care of me over the years, and I wanted to be on the other side of care, armed with healthcare knowledge to help others like me in the future.”

Studying with a purpose

In 2016, Gladys applied for a nursing diploma at Nanyang Polytechnic and was accepted. She thrived in the course, enjoying all her classes and excelling academically, as well as in clinical attachments and internships.

“Having been a patient, I could connect more deeply with patients,” she said. “Many of them would ask me what happened to my jaw, and sharing my story actually helped them open up.”

After completing her diploma, Gladys went on to pursue a nursing degree at the National University of Singapore and graduated in 2022.

Gladys and her friends from nursing school at the 2022 NUS Commencement Ceremony.

A defining surgery

While focusing on her studies, Gladys never gave up hope of the possibility of reconstructing her jaw. In 2021, she came under the care of Dr Rahul Harshad Nagadia, a Senior Consultant with dual appointments at the Department of Head and Neck Surgery at NCCS and in the Department of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery at the National Dental Centre Singapore. 

A plan to reconstruct Gladys’ jaw was made with the combined expertise of a multidisciplinary team of head and neck surgeons, plastic surgeons, maxillofacial surgeons, orthodontists and prosthodontists. In 2023, during the Chinese New Year break, Gladys underwent an almost day-long surgery. She was then hospitalised for two weeks and spent a few months recovering at home. Following that, she also underwent several corrective surgeries, that required their own periods of recovery.

From surviving to serving

Deciding to seize the opportunity when it presented itself, Gladys asked the oncology nurse who was present during one of her consultations with Dr Nagadia to learn more about working at NCCS and the application process.

Surprised but supportive, the nurse encouraged her to send in her resume. The star nursing student soon had a job offer from NCCS.

In February 2025, Gladys was back at NCCS, this time as a nurse in the Specialist Outpatient Clinic for head and neck, lung and urology cancers – the very place she used to visit as a patient!

Gladys and Specialist Outpatient Clinic colleagues enjoying a light-hearted moment at a team potluck party.

Gladys has embraced her new role wholeheartedly and finds meaning in what she does. She is eager to deepen her knowledge in wound care and exploring ways to improve cancer patients’ quality-of-life through research and clinical interventions.

Inspirational Gladys

Though her reconstruction journey continues, Gladys isn’t letting anything hold her back.

“I know I don’t have full function of my jaw area,” she said, gesturing to her face “But I must carry on. If I let fear stop me, I won’t be able to move forward.”

Gladys hopes her story serves as encouragement for other patients to keep going, knowing they are not alone in their struggles, that there is hope and that it is possible to turn the corner and look to new possibilities ahead.