And to think it all started when Yvonne’s Taiwanese businessman (and former boy bander) husband Alex Tien mooted the idea to her that she should tell her personal story.
Yvonne, who insisted she’s still a deeply private person despite her celebrity status, revealed that she did not immediately say yes to the project, which was commissioned by Singapore-based cancer diagnostics company Mirxes.
“I thought about it, and I thought that if by me sharing my story, it’s going to help people to really think about life and to really cherish their loved ones and to be more vigilant about checkups” then “maybe it’s something that I need to do”.
She added: “I thought, maybe I need to tell my story in order to let people understand me more.”
She explained that she needed to be fully in charge of the project – from casting and editing to location scouting – because she wanted it to be “honest and true”.
Also, she needed to “do a good job because I needed to be answerable to my mum. It’s her story”.
“So yes, it did take a lot from me to really share the story, but I think somehow Hope being released let people know more about me and see another side of me that they have not seen before.”
Since the film’s release, people have been sharing their stories of loss and hope with her and Yvonne makes it a point to reply because she thinks that if people are willing to share their stories with you, then you should be there to listen.
“Because I did not have anyone listening to me when I was feeling lost or hurt.”