You don’t have to be young, rich, or perfectly ready to do something meaningful.
Sometimes, all it takes is a promise, a purpose, and the will to keep moving.
For 66-year-old Lim Shyang Guey, better known as SG Lim or Uncle Lim, that purpose carried him across 2,200km of roads, towns, and states in Peninsular Malaysia, all to raise awareness and funds for children with cancer.
The journey finally came to an end yesterday (June 21), with SG Lim given a hero’s welcome at Penang Free School, his alma mater.
A run that started with love and loss
SG Lim’s journey was never just about running.
Earlier this year, he told WeirdKaya that he and his late wife, Joo Lee, had once dreamed of travelling across Malaysia together on foot.
However, that dream was cut short when Joo Lee was diagnosed with cancer and passed away four months later.
During the last months of her life, SG Lim became her caregiver, an experience that allowed him to understand the emotional and physical toll faced by cancer patients and their families.
Instead of letting the dream end there, he decided to continue it in a different way.
He turned their shared dream into Run For Gold, a 2,200km journey across Peninsular Malaysia in support of the National Cancer Society Malaysia (NCSM) and children battling cancer.
‘Darling, we made it’
Speaking to WeirdKaya after completing the run, SG Lim said the first person he thought of at the finishing point was his late wife.
The first thing that crossed my mind was telling my late wife Joo Lee that we have done it.
“We have done it together because I have her photo with me throughout the run that I made across 11 states in Peninsular Malaysia and the Federal Territory.”
For SG Lim, the 2,200km journey was not something he completed alone. In his heart, his wife was with him every step of the way.
“So that’s why my first thought was: ‘We made it. Darling, we made it.’“
‘What’s next?’
In an earlier interview with WeirdKaya, SG Lim had jokingly said that if his wife were still around, she would probably call him “crazy” for attempting a 2,200km run across Peninsular Malaysia.
But now that he has completed it, he believes she would have reacted differently.
You know, my wife and myself can be quite adventurous, so I would have thought she would say something like, ‘What’s next? What’s the next adventure that you’ve got in store for us?’“
He added that Joo Lee would not have stopped him from doing the run as she knew that both she and SG Lim have done “interesting and crazy things” together.
Persevering on
While the journey looked inspiring from the outside, SG Lim admitted that it was not easy, saying there were days where he woke up feeling like he wanted to stop, or wished he could take a rest day even when it wasn’t one.
“There’s always a reason not to do things such as: ‘The weather is bad, it’s too hot, it’s too rainy, I’m too tired, my legs hurt.
“There’s always a reason not to do things, but there’s one reason that kept me going, which is my purpose to promote cancer awareness and raise funds for cancer-stricken children by running 2,200km.
“That is what kept me going, and that’s the number one reason that kept me going.”
SG Lim also thanked his support crew for helping him push through the toughest days.
“When I wake up in the morning at 3 to get ready to drive to the place to start at 4.30am, the crew was already waiting for me in the lobby area at 4am. So I think that kept me going as I didn’t want to disappoint them also.”
Journey far from over
Although he has completed the 2,200km run, SG Lim said there is still a long way to go when it comes to helping cancer patients and caregivers.
I recall visiting an oncology unit during one of the events organised by NCSM, which opened my eyes in terms of the children’s suffering, as well as their parents’.
“That visit alone made me feel that what I’m doing is worthwhile, and that I should continue to promote cancer awareness and raise valuable funds to help children battling cancer.”
SG Lim also hopes his journey can inspire both the younger and older generation to contribute in their own way.
I think one of the things that inspired me while I’m running is seeing people follow me in the run.
“Interestingly enough, it was the younger generation that came to me and said, ‘You inspire me to do things.’
“So I think one of the things I have hopefully achieved to some degree is to inspire the younger generation to do something they enjoy doing or to help society.”
But the message is not only for the young, but for those well into their years too.
“Some older Malaysians have told me that the run made them realise they weren’t too old to try new things. So I hope to be able to inspire the older generation as well as the younger generation,” he said.
RM775,486.17 raised for the cause
The homecoming also ended with another meaningful moment when it was announced onstage that Run For Gold had raised a total of RM775,486.17 for the cause.
This came after Penang Chief Minister Chow Kon Yeow topped up another RM50,000, while SG Lim’s classmates contributed an additional RM10,000.
The announcement was met with cheers from the crowd, turning the evening into not just a celebration of SG Lim’s 2,200km journey, but also a powerful show of support for children battling cancer and the families standing beside them.
A message for children battling cancer
The homecoming was also especially meaningful as it took place on Father’s Day, just a day before SG Lim’s 67th birthday on June 22.
When asked if he had a message for children suffering from cancer, this was what he had to say:
Stay strong, keep fighting, and keep battling against cancer.”
He also pointed out that childhood cancer survival rates in developed countries can reach between 85% and 95%, while the rate in Malaysia is still low.
“Even though the survival rate is only between 45% to 55% here, all we need to do is to provide the facilities so that these children can get the treatment they deserve in bigger cities.
“To the children, you have a fighting chance and you have people that are prepared to help you, like NCSM. So if you need any help, just contact them.”
For SG Lim, completing the run marks more than the end of a physical challenge. It is the fulfilment of a dream he once shared with his wife, a tribute to her memory, and a reminder that ordinary people can still do extraordinary things.
His journey began with grief, but it ended with a message of hope.
