Lee Ray Sheng may look like he has it all, running a thriving mala chain in Singapore and making Forbes’ 30 under 30 list.
But for the past few months, the 26-year-old has been battling health issues, which he revealed in an Instagram post on Thursday (Jan 29).
“Friends would know that 2025 was a blast, I got into Forbes 30 Under 30 list, grew the business by doubling both outlets and revenue, so career- and business-wise, things were going super well,” Ray wrote.
However, he was going in and out of hospital on multiple occasions, and doctors couldn’t find out what was wrong.
“My resting heart rate was super high, I had constant fevers, and small little viruses would make me really ill,” he said.
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Although Ray tried adopting a healthier lifestyle by cutting down on alcohol consumption and improving his exercise regime, these didn’t help much.
He only found out the reason for his ill health in January, after Position Emission Tomography scans showed active spots across his abdomen, legs, neck and possibly his lungs.
He was diagnosed with stage 3 of a rare form of lymphoma.
According to SingHealth, lymphoma is a cancer that affects the lymphatic system, arising when infection-fighting lymphocytes (B or T cells) become malignant, multiply uncontrollably, and form tumours.
When Ray was 12, he lost his younger brother to a rare immune disorder at age 9. He was found to carry the same genetic risk, the Straits Times reported.
“Ever since that day, I made it a point to live my life differently — to live it the fullest, to the max, often pushing myself to extreme ends just to experience life,” he wrote in his Instagram post.
His mantra is to live like “an author writing a fairytale, where you want readers to keep reading to the next chapter.”
“Looking back, I really believe I’ve been doing just that, and I am so proud of what I’ve achieved so far,” he said.
The year will be tough for Ray as he will be undergoing treatment, which may involve chemotherapy and a stem cell transplant, each taking six months to complete.
Despite this, he plans on using his time productively.
“I’ll be using the downtime to cultivate my brain. Learn more, go deep on AI stuff (especially all the agentic stuff), build and invent new tools and games, just keep my mind stimulated,” he shared, adding that he recently built a new game named. Outnumbered.
In his battle against cancer, Ray’s family and some “world-class doctors from Singapore” will be by his side, he said.
“I can’t wait to see you guys again as soon as I’m on the other side of this,” he wrote.
“It’s time to fight.”
AsiaOne has reached out to Ray for more information.
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In 2020, Ray co-founded A Hot Hideout with fellow Nanyang Technological University (NTU) student Ye Anran.
Their stall on campus offered diners a “new-gen mala” catered to the Singapore palate.
Over the years, the business expanded islandwide, with 11 outlets in locations such as Cineleisure Orchard, Aperia Mall, Eastpoint Mall, and Sembawang Shopping Centre.
The brand is known for its mala with creamy scrambled eggs, as well as deep-fried potatoes, lotus root, mantou, and luncheon meat.
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