Emma Yong

Yong studied in Raffles Girls' School[1] and then Raffles Junior College and won the Angus Ross prize – given to the A-level student with the best English literature exam score outside of the United Kingdom – in 1994.[2]

In 2002, Yong went to Mountview Academy of Theatre Arts, London where she graduated with a postgraduate degree in musical theatre.[2]

After Yong finished her A-Levels, she went for open auditions and was cast in musicals Bugis Street (1994) and Mortal Sins (1995).[2]

Yong married actor Gerald Chew in 2003 and divorced 9 months later.[2]

In January 2011, Yong was diagnosed with stomach cancer.[4] A few months later, she married her long time boyfriend, Jerry Lim, an interior designer.[4] She started treatment for her cancer after her marriage.[4] The treatment went well and the cancer was in remission.[4] A routine scan in September showed her cancer relapsed.[4][5]

Yong died on 2 May 2012 aged 37, after a 17-month battle with the disease.[5] Yong is survived by her parents and two sisters.[6]

An Emma Yong Fund was set up after her death to helps artists who are critically ill.[1] A memorial concert was held in remembrance of Yong and to raise money for the Fund.[1] The concert was held at the Esplanade who loaned the use of its Concert Hall for free with all performers performing for free. Ticketing agent, SISTIC, also donated the collected handling fees to charity.[1] Performers included the two other Dim Sum Dollies, Selena Tan and Pam Oei, Sebastian "Broadway Beng" Tan, Karen Tan, Tan Kheng Hua, Denise Tan (who replaced Yong as one of the Dim Sum Dollies), Ivan Heng and Glen Goei.[1] More than $275,500 was raised through the concert.[1]