Paraplegic athlete William Tan is setting up a foundation while battling cancer. He decided to start the foundation to leave a "lasting legacy", after his battle with cancer made him painfully aware of his mortality. -- ST PHOTO: CAROLINE CHIA

PARAPLEGIC athlete William Tan, 52, is setting up a foundation while battling cancer.

The foundation will "provide sustainable support for worthy causes, both locally and internationally", Dr Tan told my paper yesterday.

It will not support any specific cause, as "all causes are worthy causes", he said.

"I'm doing quite a bit of groundwork - getting a board of directors, forging overseas connections, thinking of the direction to take. I want to do my homework well," he added.

Dr Tan decided to start the foundation to leave a "lasting legacy", after his battle with cancer made him painfully aware of his mortality.

"The whole battle with cancer has been an eye-opener for me in many ways. I used to think I was invincible. As a medical doctor and brain scientist, I have all the knowledge of the human body and I look after my health very well but, now, I realise I am just as vulnerable as everyone else," he said.

"The foundation will be an extension of my humanitarian work. My illness made me understand how important it is to do something that will continue for a long, long time," he added.

Dr Tan has set eight world records for various feats, such as completing seven marathons on seven continents in the fastest time. He has also participated in fund-raising events.

Dr Tan was diagnosed with blood cancer in April last year.

He went through a bone-marrow transplant six months later. Yesterday marked the 98th day after the transplant.

"Right now, my profession is a cancer patient," he said.

He is living with his girlfriend, who quit her job to better care for him.

He added that he is still taking various medications and goes for check-ups twice a week.

He said: "But I've been given a new lease of life and I want to do more for the community."

He is starting with a project called Cycle of Hope 2010, which had been planned for September last year, but which had to be postponed three times because the cancer and the side effects of chemotherapy had left him unfit to carry it out.

Tomorrow morning, he will tow children in a chariot around the National University of Singapore Kent Ridge Campus' running track for 10 hours, to raise $70,000 for The Straits Times School Pocket Money Fund.

"It's not just a fund-raising project, but a cancer patient defying the odds, coming back to fulfil his promise to help needy students," he said.

He has been training at Victoria Junior College, which is near where he lives, for the past two months.

He said: "I've lost a lot of muscle bulk, and that is devastating for an athlete as it takes a lot to train up again. But I'm going to do my best, as children's needs cannot wait.

"This Cycle of Hope is an amazing start. For sure, this is not the end. With my second chance at life, I need to give back and I want to do more."

It looks like he will not be short of support in his efforts.

His foundation has already received a pledge, even before it is officially up.

Motivational speaker Elisabetta Franzoso will donate part of the proceeds from her book about surviving child abuse, Stella's Mum Gets Her Groove Back, to Dr Tan's foundation.