Veteran radio DJ Belinda Sunshine opens up about her breast cancer battle and her hopes for the future
Belinda Yeo, or Belinda Sunshine as she’s more popularly known, discovered she had breast cancer in October 2023. Speaking to CNA Lifestyle, Yeo shares how she has stayed positive throughout this journey.
For radio fans in Singapore, Belinda Yeo – or Belinda Sunshine, as she’s more commonly known – is a voice many have listened to while growing up.
In 1989, she was one of the pioneer DJs of 987FM (then called Perfect 10) and dazzled listeners with her upbeat personality. Following her stint at Mediacorp, Yeo spread her wings and pursued various roles, including being a lecturer, a trainer and a consultant.
Vinyl fans, on the other hand, will know her as the former storerunner of The Attic – one of Singapore’s oldest record stores before the closure of its physical store in 2021. She had helped her sister-in-law run the store, following the death of her brother who owned The Attic.
In October 2023, Yeo, who declined to reveal her age, discovered that she had a lump in her right breast. Following multiple check-ups, doctors determined that she had Stage 2 HER2 breast cancer with a tumour that was 3.5cm in length.
“Everything went so fast, so they agreed that I must go for chemotherapy to shrink my tumour. They said that I would then need to go for surgery to complete the clearance of the [cancer] cells,” she revealed in a call with CNA Lifestyle on Tuesday (Nov 26).
“When I had to undergo treatment, it was really horrible because chemo really sets you off your strength and immune system.
“Even my weight went down… Now, I’m only 35kg,” she shared.
Nevertheless, Yeo continues to remain positive in the face of adversity.
“Now, I’m trying to build up my strength, strengthen my immune system, and raise my energy levels to be more positive and strong.”
Following a mastectomy in June this year, Yeo was told that she “was clear”.
“My lymph nodes are clear. I went for a mammogram about two weeks ago and they said I’m clear of cancer cells and everything, so I’m very happy,” said Yeo.
While this is undoubtedly good news, the reality is that Yeo’s battle with cancer has also saddled her with numerous financial costs. For one, she has had to stop working to focus on her treatment – relying on her savings which have since been used up.
She shared that, as part of her treatment plan, she has to take a "special injection" every few weeks until January 2025 – with each injection costing S$11,000 (US$8,160) before subsidies.
“A lot of my [medical costs] is being paid by Medisave and private insurance. But there are a lot of things too that are coming out of my own pocket. I’m very broke because of that,” she said candidly.
To help defray her financial costs, Singapore-based charity Ray Of Hope recently set up a crowdfunding page for Belinda Yeo. The aim is to raise six months' worth of living expenses and household bills. As of writing, only 25 per cent of the donation goal has been met.
As for what will happen after Yeo’s treatment ends in January 2025, only time will tell.
“I can’t tell you anything until the last injection is over. In February, I will meet my oncologist," said Yeo.
True to her stage name, Yeo has a bright outlook for the future and aims to help the lives of underprivileged people once she has fully recovered.
“Hopefully, I can go back to training and teaching next year. I promised God that I want to do things to help people, to help children, those who aren’t so well educated, and are marginalised,” she shared optimistically.
Among those plans include potentially starting an academy to teach children how to speak well. Yeo shared with CNA Lifestyle that she is also open to returning to radio (albeit part-time) to continue spreading positivity and talk about her battle with cancer.
When asked if she had a message for those going through the same journey, Yeo said: “It’s hard for me to speak on behalf of other people… For myself, I can only say always believe in positivity. Be positive in life. When you are positive and your energy is strong, you can overcome any hurdle.”
“Always have faith. My faith has become so much stronger. Believe in miracles.”
The fundraiser for Belinda Yeo can be found at this Ray Of Hope page.