Shen Yu-lin Survives Leukemia Storm, Prepares to Return to Screen
Entertainer Shen Yu-lin shared his harrowing battle with acute myeloid leukemia (AML) and his upcoming return to television. Serving as a Blood Cancer Care Ambassador, he emphasized the critical importance of early blood tests when experiencing extreme fatigue.
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- 📰 Published: April 19, 2026 at 13:39
- 🔍 Collected: April 19, 2026 at 14:00 (21 min after Published)
- 🤖 AI Analyzed: April 19, 2026 at 14:28 (28 min after Collected)
Shen Yu-lin attended an event today as Taiwan's Blood Cancer Care Ambassador. Recalling the early stages of his illness, he admitted to completely ignoring his body's distress signals. A month before his diagnosis, the only and most obvious symptom was unprecedented 'extreme fatigue.' He didn't even have the strength to walk from the living room to the bathroom to turn on the shower, and during recordings, he couldn't walk from the elevator to the parking lot.
Shen Yu-lin's previous understanding of acute myeloid leukemia mostly came from Korean dramas like 'Autumn in My Heart' and 'Winter Sonata,' making him unaware of the actual symptoms. He described the fatigue as unusual, initially thinking it was just lack of sleep or overwork. He visited various clinics but neglected the most crucial blood test. 'Actually, my blood test results were normal a month before I was hospitalized. This disease really comes fast and fierce.'
Besides fatigue, Shen didn't have a distinct fever, just slight heat, along with swelling in his upper and lower gums. He visited a dentist, but the doctor couldn't make a clear judgment and treated it as periodontal disease first. Facing various discomforts, he originally planned to rest at home for a few days. Looking back, he realizes that if he had just lain down to rest, he might never have woken up. Fortunately, his wife insisted on taking him to see a doctor.
Shen said the process of being diagnosed with acute myeloid leukemia was indeed hard to accept. When the medical team at Tri-Service General Hospital calmly told him, 'It can almost be concluded as leukemia,' the doctor initially hesitated to say the words 'blood cancer.' A few days later, a nurse informed him he needed chemotherapy, and the treatment could last half a year. He broke down emotionally at that moment and even called his wife to make final arrangements.
Shen stated that thinking about some celebrities who couldn't cure their acute myeloid leukemia despite spending huge sums made him feel his life had reached its end. His internet search keywords shifted from 'how to treat' to 'how to face death,' and his mindset gradually became more open. He joked that the motivation keeping him alive was not wanting his wife to remarry someone else with his massive assets.
The doctors provided transparent and complete explanations, helping Shen fully grasp his condition. He trusted the medical team entirely. During the critical life-saving treatment period, he and the doctors shared the treatment risks, made brave decisions together, and reminded himself not to be an unruly patient. After enduring 5 rounds of chemotherapy, he continues his medication and will return to the screen soon.
Because battling the disease introduced him to an unfamiliar illness, Shen proactively told his doctor, Hou Hsin-an, an attending physician at the Department of Internal Medicine, National Taiwan University Hospital, that he was willing to serve as a care ambassador for free, letting more people understand acute myeloid leukemia. At the event, Shen not only reminded the public not to ignore warning signs like extreme fatigue, persistent unexplained fevers, inexplicable bruising and bleeding, and bone and joint pain.
Shen Yu-lin even used vivid descriptions to introduce blood cancer, making doctors praise his professionalism. Shen said that blood is produced by bone marrow stem cells, and genetic mutations cause an abnormal proliferation of white blood cells, 'even 220,000 boy scouts.' Most are immature and dysfunctional. They not only affect the production of red blood cells and platelets, but the immature white blood cells are like untrained soldiers, running out of control all over the body. (Editor: Chen Ching-fang) 1150419
Shen Yu-lin's previous understanding of acute myeloid leukemia mostly came from Korean dramas like 'Autumn in My Heart' and 'Winter Sonata,' making him unaware of the actual symptoms. He described the fatigue as unusual, initially thinking it was just lack of sleep or overwork. He visited various clinics but neglected the most crucial blood test. 'Actually, my blood test results were normal a month before I was hospitalized. This disease really comes fast and fierce.'
Besides fatigue, Shen didn't have a distinct fever, just slight heat, along with swelling in his upper and lower gums. He visited a dentist, but the doctor couldn't make a clear judgment and treated it as periodontal disease first. Facing various discomforts, he originally planned to rest at home for a few days. Looking back, he realizes that if he had just lain down to rest, he might never have woken up. Fortunately, his wife insisted on taking him to see a doctor.
Shen said the process of being diagnosed with acute myeloid leukemia was indeed hard to accept. When the medical team at Tri-Service General Hospital calmly told him, 'It can almost be concluded as leukemia,' the doctor initially hesitated to say the words 'blood cancer.' A few days later, a nurse informed him he needed chemotherapy, and the treatment could last half a year. He broke down emotionally at that moment and even called his wife to make final arrangements.
Shen stated that thinking about some celebrities who couldn't cure their acute myeloid leukemia despite spending huge sums made him feel his life had reached its end. His internet search keywords shifted from 'how to treat' to 'how to face death,' and his mindset gradually became more open. He joked that the motivation keeping him alive was not wanting his wife to remarry someone else with his massive assets.
The doctors provided transparent and complete explanations, helping Shen fully grasp his condition. He trusted the medical team entirely. During the critical life-saving treatment period, he and the doctors shared the treatment risks, made brave decisions together, and reminded himself not to be an unruly patient. After enduring 5 rounds of chemotherapy, he continues his medication and will return to the screen soon.
Because battling the disease introduced him to an unfamiliar illness, Shen proactively told his doctor, Hou Hsin-an, an attending physician at the Department of Internal Medicine, National Taiwan University Hospital, that he was willing to serve as a care ambassador for free, letting more people understand acute myeloid leukemia. At the event, Shen not only reminded the public not to ignore warning signs like extreme fatigue, persistent unexplained fevers, inexplicable bruising and bleeding, and bone and joint pain.
Shen Yu-lin even used vivid descriptions to introduce blood cancer, making doctors praise his professionalism. Shen said that blood is produced by bone marrow stem cells, and genetic mutations cause an abnormal proliferation of white blood cells, 'even 220,000 boy scouts.' Most are immature and dysfunctional. They not only affect the production of red blood cells and platelets, but the immature white blood cells are like untrained soldiers, running out of control all over the body. (Editor: Chen Ching-fang) 1150419