MU Fifians is One Member Less

The news of the passing of KC Ho, a member of the MU Fifians group received on 9 February 2024, the CNY Eve was not something unexpected. 

KC in his final WhatsApp posted to the group on 17 January 2024, revealed that his doctor had told him that the treatment rendered on that same day was the final treatment for him. The medical team handling his case had come to the conclusion that treatment options had come to the end and there was no more treatment available. KC was advised to choose to spend his final days either in hospice or at home. He chose the latter. 

He stated specifically in the message that he still could not accept and reconcile with the decision of the doctors. It was obvious from his statement that he was not ready to give up the fight to overcome his illness yet!

KC first informed the Group on 4 April 2022 that he was diagnosed with a rare disease called Dermatomyositis, a form of cancer. He had since been receiving regular treatments at the hospital. That news which came just 10 months after his wife passed away on 6 June 2021 was indeed shocking. His wife was first detected with stage 4 kidney cancer in April 2020.

Since then, KC had undergone numerous rounds of chemo. On 21 November 2022, he had an operation to remove the lymph node. After the operation, he was all fired up and happy to report his steady progress to recovery. He looked positive and happy when two Fifians members paid him a visit at his home in Singapore in May 2023.

Left: Posted on 4.12.22 after his operation in November 2022.

Right: Posted on 20.5.23 after Lai Har and Jenny paid him a visit in Singapore.

This message posted on 25 December 2022 soon after his operation in November 2022 reveals his unyielding spirit and his hope to live on.

But by August 2023, his condition began to worsen. He had a relapse of the cancer and he never recovered from that.

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The last time we met up was during the reunion of the Fifians in August 2016, about seven and a half years ago (Read here). That reunion was organized for the Fifians to meet David Tow who was pivotal in the setting up of the Fifians Group in 1973 when the bulk of the group members first entered the University. David was a lecturer of MU and a Fellow of the 5th Students Residential College.

In that gathering, KC was still the KC whom we knew more than 45 years ago - a jovial and playful guy. In that gathering, he was the "chef" who cooked all the dishes. Cooking was a skill he picked up after the university days.

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In KC, I saw a man who possessed an unyielding spirit of "never-giving-up". Even with his wife gone, he was still determined to carry on living! Indeed an incredible man!

The Fifians are both happy and sad over the passing of KC. We are sad that he finally succumbed to his illness in spite of his long "fight" he put up to stay alive. On the other hand, happy that he is now relieved of his pain and suffering and is now re-united with his wife. May his soul rest in peace!