In November 2022, Koh revealed her struggle with tongue cancer in November 2022, four months after her initial diagnosis. After realizing that the ulcer was on her tongue, she visited a general practitioner, followed by her dentist, who told her to see an oral surgeon. The biopsy confirmed that she was suffering from tongue cancer.
My diagnosis filled me with regret. Why did I waste months in between noticing the ulcer and finally getting it checked out? My illness had delayed proper medical attention because I was travelling and working and life had gotten in the way. It had never crossed my mind that it could be something serious, he said.
Two operations later, more than half of Koh's tongue has been removed and she says she s currently in speech therapy and her speech is slowly improving over time. Even though I have a part of me that grieves for my voice, I'm learning to accept that there is a limit to how perfect my speech will be. I believe that acceptance is part of the emotional recovery from the trauma of the illness. Some of the ways the Crazy Rich Asian actress remains positive currently include meditating, journalling, going on short walks and having visitors twice or thrice a week because it makes her happy to see her family and friends.
I m in a liminal space now, where death doesn t feel as far as it once did. I'm living from scan to scan, so I don 't plan too far ahead of time. The first few years of cancer are delicate, he said. I need to live my day to the best. Several netizens have congratulated Koh for her bravery and vulnerability in the interview. A YouTube video of the interview posted to Koh's Instagram page has received over 10,000 likes, with one commenter thanking Koh for paving a way for tongue cancer warriors to speak out and find the love within themselves.