The Late Lydia Sum Found Out She Had Cancer After Having Fish Head Curry
Though it’s been 14 years since the passing of iconic Hongkong comedian Lydia Sum, she’s still fondly remembered by many. Google even paid tribute to her with a Google Doodle on what would have been her 77th birthday this year.
A Google Doodle is a special, temporary alteration of the logo on Google's homepages intended to commemorate holidays, events, achievements, and notable historical figures of particular countries.
Lydia's doodle appeared on July 21 and it featured a number of iconic characters she played.
Immortalised in a doodle.
In a short write-up, Google described Lydia as a “Happy Fruit” that brought laughter and positive energy through her shows.
Lydia, who started out as a child actress at the age of 12, hit the big time when she hosted popular variety show Enjoy Yourself Tonight in the '70s.
Then, she cemented her place in everyone’s hearts in 1973, when she starred in The House of 72 Tenants, which was the highest grossing movie in Hongkong that year.
Singaporeans would probably best remember Lydia as the star of Mediacorp sitcom, Living With Lydia, which aired from 2001 to 2005.
Remember Living With Lydia?
Lydia was married to Hongkong singer-actor Adam Cheng from 1985 to 1988. The couple's daughter, Hongkong singer Joyce Cheng, is now 35.
In the early noughties, Lydia’s health took a turn for the worse.
In 2002, she was hospitalised for surgery, and had to have 36 gallstones removed from her body.
Four years later, in 2006, she was diagnosed with a liver tumour and cancer around her gallbladder.
In the next two years, Lydia underwent chemotherapy, as well as several rounds of kidney dialysis treatment as she battled the cancer. She eventually passed away in February 2008, after close to two months in the intensive care unit.
Lydia with Joyce.
According to reports, Lydia once revealed that she was alerted to her ailing health thanks to fish head curry.
Lydia had gone over to Hongkong actress Deborah Lee's house for dinner one day. Deborah, who is the mum of Nicholas Tse, had whipped up a pot of fish head curry.
Lydia with Deborah.
However, after the meal, Lydia started feeling very ill. When she reached home later that night, she started vomiting uncontrollably.
Lydia then decided to seek medical attention and after a thorough check, it was discovered she had a tumour in her liver.
Deborah would later reveal how remorseful she felt about the turn of events. "If I knew, I wouldn't have made [fish head curry] for her," Deborah reportedly said.
Catch up on Living With Lydia on meWATCH here. The first episode is below.
Photos: Google, PBE Media, meWATCH
