PUBLISHED ONOctober 24, 2026 4:45 AMBYWong Dao EnAdrian Toh, a former Singapore Airlines leading steward, died on Friday (Oct 23) after a three-year battle with lung cancer.
His death was announced by his family on his Instagram account. He was 44.
"You were such an inspiration Adrian. I would always be cheering you from afar and admired your strength on this journey. Thank you for giving us all the strength to take on life’s challenges," the caption on the Instagram post read.
Adrian, a fitness enthusiast, was open about his diagnosis with stage-four cancer. He spoke to AsiaOne on two occasions about his battle with the disease.
In October 2023, he told AsiaOne that he discovered the cancer in his left lung during a full-body health check-up in June that year.
He had just left Singapore Airlines after a 13-year stint as a leading steward and was suffering from a persistent cough that affected his sleep.
"Of all things, why do I have lung cancer?" the non-smoker said of his condition.
That July, he underwent surgery and six rounds of chemotherapy but was still left with a 1cm stage-four non-small cell lung cancer tumour in his left lung.
To document his cancer recovery journey, Adrian started a TikTok account focused on raising awareness about his condition as he felt there was "nothing to be ashamed about".
Earlier this year, he spoke to AsiaOne again, revealing that he had relapsed for a second time.
He shared that following his initial diagnosis. he had been put on targeted therapy — a cancer treatment that utilises drugs designed to block the specific genes, proteins or tissue environments that allow cancer cells to grow — in order to keep the disease under control.
Adrian also had to take a pill a day and undergo check-ups every three months as part of the treatment.
Nonetheless, his cancer mutated into a more aggressive small cell lung cancer that targeted his right adrenal gland in October 2025.
As a result, he had to undergo surgery to remove an 11.5cm growth in his right adrenal gland, leaving him warded in the Intensive Care Unit and a high dependency ward for a week.
A week after that, he underwent chemotherapy for a second time, in which he said was "a bit more intense".
In six months, he had completed a total of 18 chemotherapy sessions.
Adrian had just started his new job as a financial consultant four months prior to this, and was forced take a six-month break to focus on treatment.
"After each cycle of treatment, I just had to rest and prepare my body and mind again for the next cycle. This went on for six cycles. It was a matter of perseverance," he said.
"The chemotherapy fortunately worked to tackle any remaining cancer cells that may have been left behind after the surgery," he shared.
After treatment ended, he returned to his financial consultant career with Prudential after treatment, resumed travelling regularly with his family and friends and continued hitting the gym.
@asiaone Living to the fullest: Being diagnosed, twice, with cancer, has taught 42-year-old Adrian Toh that he cannot assume that he will be around tomorrow. #sgnews #Singapore #Health #Cancer #Overcoming ♬ original sound - AsiaOne
After undergoing cancer treatment twice, he told AsiaOne in June that he was more intentional in how he spent his time.
Before the 2026 interview, he had just finished a gym session and joked that February 2025 was his "peak fitness level".
He has also invested in other fitness avenues, such as strength training, rhythm cycling, and yoga — all activities that he had enjoyed even before he was diagnosed with cancer in 2023.
He also picked up qigong, as it "encourages me to be more grounded, because it is all about preserving and protecting your energy," he said.
Aside from fitness, he has also decided to visit more countries and cities.
"The world is big. Even during my 13 years flying [with Singapore Airlines], I didn't get to see the whole world yet. There are so many other places, cultures and cities that we can explore."
He recently travelled to Bangkok and South Korea, and had plans to visit Kuala Lumpur, Australia and Egypt later this year.
"Every year, I will try to do something for my birthday (in November) and I try to conquer a new bucket list of destinations that I've never been to. This time around, it's Egypt," he explained, adding that he has always been intrigued by Egypt's history.
Unfortunately, Adrian's plans were cut short when he suffered a third relapse, shortly after the second article was written.
In an Instagram video uploaded on Aug 29, he said that the "cancer kept coming back" and that it had spread to his brain and his spine, adding that he was relapsing for a third time in two-and-a-half years.
As such, he had lost his mobility and was confined to his wheelchair.
"I realised I have two choices: I could allow myself and cancer define my identity, or I could decide that it was simply just a chapter of my life," he said in the video.
"I chose the second one and I am not afraid of starting all over again," he added.
Adrian also said that he discovered that "life isn't measured by how long we live," but rather "how fully we choose to live with it".
On the same day he uploaded the video, he was wheeled down the runway as one of the 2026 Model Ambassadors of the Fashion for Cancer show, which aimed at fundraising cancer research and financial aid.
Prior to his third relapse, he was already planned to walk the runway to "model to showcase his resilience and strength" and had hoped to encourage others battling cancer.
Previously, he participated in Hair for Hope and the Hope Train walk.
"This whole experience has taught me that I am actually a much stronger person, both mentally and physically, and that I am able to conquer all these kinds of difficulties," Adrian told us during the June interview.
Many users poured emotional tributes onto the comments section of the Instagram post which announced Adrian's death.
"You've been an inspiration to me because of your courage and strength in fighting to live well," one commentor said. "You left the world a little better because of your actions and spirit. You can rest now, Adrian."
"A true warrior. I hope you know how many people are touched by your actions. Your legacy will never be erased," said another.
AsiaOne has contacted Adrian's family for more information.
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