'I want to fight': At 31, this former SIA stewardess is battling the most aggressive form of brain cancer

Teresa Hon, a 31-year-old former Singapore Airlines flight attendant, is courageously fighting glioblastoma, the most aggressive and rapidly growing type of brain cancer. The diagnosis came just weeks before Christmas in 2025, leading to a complex surgery to address a tumor measuring over 6cm.

Due to the tumor's proximity to vital brain areas controlling speech, hearing, and motor functions, surgeons could not remove it entirely without risking severe neurological deficits. Her husband, Bjorn Chua, recalled the anxiety of seeing his wife wheeled into an operating room with a large medical team, especially when the surgery concluded much earlier than anticipated.

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I thought my wife died.

Despite the challenging circumstances, the surgery was successful. While Hon recovered in intensive care, Chua's thoughtful gesture of tinting their car windows offered a private sanctuary for her. He understood that Hon, who valued her appearance as a stewardess, would want a discreet space as she navigated her recovery.

Before the surgery, Hon experienced debilitating symptoms, including uncontrollable vomiting, seizures, hair loss, and difficulty walking, requiring a wheelchair. Her eyes were affected by the tumor's compression, causing them to look in different directions. Glioblastoma profoundly impacts the brain, affecting cognition, memory, language, personality, and movement, everything that defines an individual. Hon's experience highlights the rapid and devastating changes this disease can inflict.

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Her right eye could be looking at you straight, and her left eye would be looking left.