Tom Lee's life took an unexpected turn when his colon cancer progressed to stage four metastatic status. Rather than retreating, this former engineering professor discovered a remarkable talent for pastel drawing that became the subject of his powerful digital story with the Canadian Cancer Society.

Episode Key Messages

• When diagnosed with terminal cancer, Tom turned to art as a meaningful way to engage with life
• Tom's philosophy: "The cure for cancer is a life well-lived"
• Created a digital story about his artistic awakening with help from the Canadian Cancer Society
• The community aspect of storytelling workshops proved essential—"You can't do this journey alone"
• Tom shares his experience openly through YouTube videos that evolved from lighthearted to more profound reflections
• Currently writing a book weaving together his off-grid cottage experiences, cancer journey, and academic reflections
• Modern palliative care focuses on quality of life rather than extension at all costs
• End-of-life moments are meaningful and shouldn't be feared, they should be embraced and documented

Other Links Mentioned

• Watch Tom’s digital story
• Read this episode's blog post
• Check out Tom's Youtube channel
• The Waiting Room Revolution with Sammy Winemaker

About Our Guest

Dr. Lee is a retired engineering faculty member and endowed chair holder at McMaster University. Prior to his appointment, he enjoyed three career decades in the commercialization of advanced engineering technologies. During his industry career, he built a global reputation for developing transformational multidisciplinary initiatives in engineering education and research. Dr. Lee also has a passion for outreach with significant contributions to FIRST Robotics, Shad Valley, and the Canadian Cancer Society. In 2019 he was inducted Fellow of the Canadian Academy of Engineering, and honoured by Tsinghua University as Distinguished Honorary Professor. In 2022, he was conferred an Honorary Doctorate LLD, from York University.

In 2022, Dr. Lee was diagnosed with colon cancer which evolved to terminal metastatic cancer. This triggered his retirement from McMaster. In retirement, he has been exploring creative activities for personal enrichment and enlightenment including pastel drawing, video production, and outreach. This led to the epiphany that the cure for cancer is a life well lived and that his best days may still be ahead of him. This event was conceived to continue the Lee family’s efforts to make every day our best day.

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