Painting is a creative outlet for rare cancer patient

On the first day of Chinese New Year two years ago, 49-year-old Mr Soh Kim Hai should have been looking forward to seeing his siblings and their families, but instead he was preoccupied with worry because he felt discomfort in his left thigh. Mr Soh, who also goes by Allan, consulted his company doctor who gave him painkillers and muscle relaxants for the muscle pain he experienced.

A few months later, just before his birthday, he felt a lump in the same thigh. After a consult at a polyclinic, he was immediately referred to a hospital A&E, where a biopsy was done. Results showed that Allan had stage 4 Soft Tissue Sarcoma, a rare cancer.

A rare cancer diagnosis

After the diagnosis, Allan was referred to be cared for by rare cancer expert, Assistant Professor Valerie Yang, Consultant in the Department of Lymphoma and Sarcoma Medical Oncology, National Cancer Centre Singapore (NCCS). Dr Yang gave him detailed explanations of Soft Tissue Sarcomas, which are rare and aggressive cancers that begin in the bone and connective tissues. Treatment for these types of cancers is complex and patients are cared for by a multidisciplinary team made up of oncologists, surgeons and more.

For Allan, the first course of action was to undergo surgery in August 2022 to remove the tumour in his thigh, which was large and 16cm in diameter – the size of a grapefruit! After surgery, Allan could not walk for 3 weeks and spent about one and a half months recovering in the hospital. He started chemotherapy treatment during that time and underwent a total of 6 sessions which ended in July 2023.

It was an especially challenging period for Allan as he had been retrenched from his job as a technician. He had no medical insurance coverage or access to the company’s living quarters where he used to stay. He shared his worries with medical social workers at NCCS who helped him apply for subsidised housing and find a new place to live.

New beginnings

In October 2022, Allan moved into his new rental flat. Like others diagnosed with a serious illness, he struggled to process the many emotions and resulting changes in his life. He preferred not to burden his five siblings.

“They all have children and their own responsibilities, so I try not to ask for too much help,” said Allan. “But I enjoy when they visit on weekends and during the festive season”.

His brother suggested he take up a hobby, which prompted Allan to start painting. He found that putting a brush to canvas provided a creative outlet that allowed him to express his emotions. Since then, creating works of art has not only filled his time but also helped his mental wellbeing.

Rare cancer patient Allan took up painting as a creative outlet for his emotions.

Allan gifting one of his paintings to Dr Valerie Yang and his care team at NCCS.

Getting on with life despite an uncertain future

Once Allan felt well enough, he took a course to train as a security guard and started working as a part-time security guard three times a week at nightlife establishments and warehouses.

“I found the work interesting because it was a good way for me to interact with different types of people,” said Allan.

However, in October 2023, Allan felt a sharp pain in his left thigh and went to see Dr Yang. Scans showed that a new tumour was growing in the same site. As it was close to a nerve, it caused him pain and affected his ability to straighten his left leg. In May 2024, Allan underwent an operation to remove the tumour. Since then, he has found it difficult to stand or walk for long periods of time. He stopped working and has been spending time at home, where he paints and takes short walks near home.

Allan’s latest paintings are inspired by the National Geographic, “Wildlife at morning lake”.

“It has been difficult but when I’m feeling low, I put all of what I’m feeling into my paintings,” said Allan. His latest work features scenes of nature inspired by images he’s seen in National Geographic magazines.

Since the last surgery, Allan has been undergoing immunotherapy treatment that is being offered to him on a compassionate basis in the hope that it will control the cancer.

Rare cancers affect less than 6 out of 100,000 people per year but collectively make up a quarter of all cancers. They often pose a challenge to diagnose, treat and understand. NCCS oncologist Dr Valerie Yang, who also does research and leads the Translational Precision Oncology Laboratory as a Joint Research Clinician and Group Leader at the A*STAR Institute of Molecular and Cell Biology (IMCB), recently conducted a study that found that patients with rare cancers have higher risk of developing mental health issues compared to patients with common cancers.

Published in eClinicalMedicine, the study findings showed that rare cancer patients are nearly three times more likely to develop anxiety and depression compared to patients with common cancers. Importantly, it also identified specific risk factors which make patients with rare cancers more prone to developing anxiety and depression, these include having advanced disease, chemotherapy treatment, lower income and social status.

While a hobby, such as painting, may help to alleviate some mental health struggles, the study found that increased awareness among healthcare professionals is crucial to help identify patients with psychological concerns and monitor their mental well-being so that early intervention can be implemented to help them. The research team is working closely with clinical teams at NCCS to develop strategies to better support patients with rare cancers.