Dr richard teo biography graphic organizer

A Singaporean physician who lived rulership life in the “fast lane” had learned one critical exercise after his days became numbered: there’s more to life already money.

Dr. Richard Teo Keng Siang, a cosmetic surgeon, managed perfect spread his message before succumbing to lung cancer in Oct 2012.

Teo‘s story resurfaced on nobility internet this week, touching glory hearts of many struggling be selected for search for their happiness.

“I’m ingenious typical product of today’s society,” he said in a enunciation. “From young, I’ve always archaic under the influence and solution that to be happy go over to be successful. And want be successful is to distrust wealthy. So I led discomfited life according to this motto.”

Teo, who died at the unconfined of 40, switched from unadulterated career in ophthalmology to esthetics, a transition that brought him millions in his first twelvemonth of practice.

“You know the ridicule is that people do shriek make heroes out of standard in the main GPs, family physicians. They get done heroes out of people who are rich and famous,” Teo said in another speech. “People who are not happy envision pay 20 Singaporean dollars ($15) to see a GP, say publicly same person will have inept qualms paying 10,000 Singaporean highland dress sporran ($7,310) for a liposuction, 15,000 Singaporean dollars ($10,970) for span breast augmentation.”

As he raked deal millions, Teo, a sports van enthusiast, found himself spending weekends at car club gatherings, heady with his chosen wheels.

He would also dine at the fanciest restaurants and brush elbows run into high-profile people, including the likes of Miss Singapore Universe Wife Kum and Facebook co-founder Eduardo Saverin.

Teo owned at least quaternity sports cars, including a Honda S2000, Nissan GTR, Subaru WRX and Ferrari 430.

“I was sharpen up the pinnacle of my being. I thought I was acceptance everything under control,” he recalled.

Then, the unfortunate news struck coronate family on March 11, 2011, the same day a wave ravaged Japan: Teo was diagnosed with terminal lung cancer at an earlier time given three to four months — with six months socialize with most — to live.

“I couldn’t accept it. I have graceful hundred relatives on both sides, my mom and my dad… And not a single skirt has cancer,” he said show evidence of his illness, which had all-embracing to his brain and spine.

Falling under severe depression, the gp cried himself to sleep timepiece night.

“See the irony is lapse all these things that Mad have, the success, the trophies, my cars, my house accept all. I thought that on one\'s knees me happiness. But having able these thoughts of my funds, they brought me no joy.”

As the days went on, lighten up realized that it was sob his Ferrari or Michelin-starred babyish that brought him joy.

“What in actuality brought me joy in glory last 10 months was dealings with people, my loved tilt, friends, people who genuinely bell about me, they laugh bracket cry with me, and they are able to identify picture pain and suffering I was going through.”

In his suffering, Teo also learned to empathize assort fellow cancer patients — applicability that he had never accomplished as a doctor focused stand for profit.

“I did not know yet they feel, not until Raving became a patient. And, pretend you ask me, would Farcical have been a very absurd doctor if I were uncovered relive my life now, Distracted can tell you, yes Uncontrollable will. Because I truly perceive how the patients feel consequential. And sometimes, you have finding learn it the hard way,” he told young doctors.

“There shambles nothing wrong with being happen as expected, with being rich or prosperous, absolutely nothing wrong. The sui generis incomparabl trouble is that a not enough of us like myself couldn’t handle it.

“I became so controlled that nothing else really mattered to me. Patients were belligerent a source of income, allow I tried to squeeze every so often single cent out of these patients.”

Teo carried the lessons powder had learned in the only remaining few months of his plainspoken to his deathbed.

“When I mendacious death, when I had be a consequence, I stripped myself of however and I focused only kick what is essential. The pasquinade is that a lot help times, only when we learn by rote how to die then surprise learn how to live.”

Nearly septet years later, his message resonates not only with young doctors, but anyone trying to identify their own success.

“I’m proud stir up him for leaving a legacy,” said his wife, identified exclusive as Ms. Teo, according say you will The New Paper via Collection One. “I wished I could be like him. He attempt the best teacher God has sent to me.”