Nicole: The Girl Who Dances Through Life

If you ever walk past Nicole Ong Ee-Qi at CRMY, chances are you’ll hear her before you see her.

Maybe it is her loud laughter echoing through the office corridors. Maybe it is a random Michael Jackson song playing from her phone while she sneakily breaks into a dance move between tasks. Or maybe it is simply her bright, bubbly energy filling the room in a way that makes people smile without even realizing it.

Nicole is the kind of person who brings life wherever she goes.

Behind the cheerful smile is a soft spot for comfort, cuddles, and her favourite Lotso companion.

She sings loudly. She laughs freely. She dances whenever a beat appears; sometimes in elevators, sometimes during events, sometimes while waiting for lunch. To Nicole, joy is never something to hide. It is something to share.

Different cultures, different colours, same radiant Nicole embracing every beautiful moment of the journey.

But behind the cheerful personality is a story many would never expect.

In 2023, while most young adults were planning careers, chasing dreams, and figuring out life, Nicole was suddenly forced into a battle she never saw coming, cancer.

“It honestly felt like my whole life suddenly stopped,” she shared.

The diagnosis came with fear, confusion, uncertainty, and days that tested her both physically and emotionally. There were moments when life felt unbearably heavy. Moments where the future looked blurry and frightening.

Yet even during the darkest days, Nicole never completely lost the spark that made her who she is.

Somehow, between treatments, exhaustion, and emotional battles, she still found ways to smile. To joke. To comfort others even while she herself was hurting.

Because that is who Nicole is.

She is not someone who allows pain to silence her spirit.

Instead, the experience transformed her.

Running with joy, positivity, and a childlike spirit that makes every moment more meaningful.

Cancer taught her something many people spend a lifetime trying to understand how fragile life can be, and how powerful kindness truly is. She realized that healing is not only about medicine. Sometimes, it is a reassuring voice. A simple conversation. A person who makes you feel less alone.

And on April 29, 2024, Nicole received the words she had been fighting so hard for:

Cancer-free.

For some people, surviving cancer becomes the end of a difficult chapter.

For Nicole, it became the beginning of a purpose.

Strong mind, stronger spirit — Nicole showing that resilience is built one workout at a time.

Despite everything she went through, Nicole chose not to step away from the fight against cancer, she chose to stand even closer to it. Instead of allowing her experience to break her, she turned it into a source of strength in serving others at Cancer Research Malaysia. Having personally walked through fear, uncertainty, and recovery, she understands patients in a way that goes beyond words or medical terms. Her journey gave her a deeper sense of compassion, empathy, and dedication in the work she does every day.

Nicole believes that every effort, every awareness campaign, every conversation, and every piece of research matters because somewhere out there is another person hoping for a second chance at life, just like she once did. And perhaps that is what makes her work so meaningful. She is not only working for a cause; she is working to help save lives, inspire hope, and remind others that they are never alone in their battle.

Creating memories, sharing laughter, and growing stronger together beyond the workplace.

Today, as part of Cancer Research Malaysia (CRMY), Nicole hopes to turn her journey into something meaningful for others. She believes science communication should not feel cold or intimidating. It should feel human. Warm. Relatable. Honest.

Because behind every diagnosis is a real person carrying fears, hopes, and silent struggles.

And perhaps that is why Nicole connects so naturally with people.

She understands pain, but she also understands hope.

She knows how it feels to be scared, yet she still chooses joy.

Maybe that is why her laughter sounds a little brighter now.
Why her dancing feels a little freer.
Why every Michael Jackson song she sings carries a little more life in it.

Nicole’s story is not just about surviving cancer.

It is about refusing to let hardship take away softness, happiness, and light.

It is about becoming proof that even after life’s hardest battles, a person can still dance.

And perhaps that is Nicole’s greatest strength of all:
not just surviving, but continuing to bring joy to others while doing so.

Nicole’s journey is also a reminder that behind every breakthrough, every treatment, and every survivor’s story are the generous donors and supporters who make cancer research possible. Their contributions bring hope to patients and families facing some of life’s toughest battles. Through continued support, more lives can be touched, more discoveries can be made, and more stories like Nicole’s can have brighter endings. Together, we can continue giving hope, healing, and a future to those who need it most.