Malaysian director on testicular cancer battle and how social media sharing saved others
Jared Lee, who made Cathay Pacific’s ads with Jimmy O. Yang, reveals how his diagnosis taught him about kindness and changed his perspective
A few years ago, the idea of directing an international star like Jimmy O. Yang for a major brand would have been a career-high milestone for Jared Lee, the Malaysian film director behind Cathay Pacific’s new narratives on its in-flight dining offerings.
Today, it is simply a chapter in a much larger, more profound story of survival and realignment.
In 2018, at what seemed like the prime of his life, Lee’s world suddenly paused when he was diagnosed with testicular cancer.
In the hours that followed, Lee entered a state of grim pragmatism, his mind leaping to the dreams he might never see realised. He prepared a book of passwords and a list of financial details for his wife; he even had a final message for his parents.
“I was in that mode,” says the 40-year-old in a video call from Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia. “I remember my final thought at that time was like, I can’t watch Avengers: Endgame if I die. It would [be] leaving the story hanging after Infinity War. There was no way I couldn’t finish this saga.”
He underwent surgery the day after the diagnosis without hesitation. “I know cancer is also a time-sensitive thing, so I agreed to get admitted right away.”