Chairman of the National Kidney Foundation (NKF) Gerard Ee, 59, was diagnosed with stage three colon cancer last November. A Catholic, Mr Ee said his faith in God and a sense of humor helped him battle the cancer.

Besides, he had drawn up a will before he got the bad news and knowing that his financial affairs were settled helped put his mind at ease.

Mr Ee is now 'in the clear' after completing 12 sessions of chemotherapy in June.

Unlike Mr Ee, former radio DJ Dongfang Billy, 45, is staring death in the face.

Billy's leukaemia has relapsed and the diagnosis is 'not pretty', he said.

However, the bachelor is not giving up the fight. He is determined to 'die well' and is trying hard to finish paying his mortage loans so that his family would not be financially burdened after his death.

Asked what he feared most about dying, Billy said, 'I feel I should have no regrets. And I have no regrets. I can't choose my parents and they have hurt me, but our relationship now is much better. We can't decide who will die first, but we can decide to die well, to die with dignity.'