Standing by a Partner With Eye Cancer: A Thai Couple's Story

In early 2018 a young Thai woman named Atittaya Chumkeaw drew attention online for something simple: she kept posting happy photos with her boyfriend while a malignant tumour around his eyes changed his face and took his sight. The pictures spread through Thai, Vietnamese and international news sites, which reported that she had chosen to stay by his side through the worst of his illness. This is what is known about their story, what is not, and what it can teach anyone supporting a partner through serious illness.

The story in brief

According to the reports, Atittaya's partner, known by the nickname Pooh and reported to be 21 years old, was being treated for an advanced cancer affecting both eyes and the surrounding tissue. Vietnamese media described the tumour as having left him blind and badly disfigured. Several surgeries had reportedly not stopped it.

Rather than hiding his condition, Atittaya posted selfies of the two of them smiling together, alongside older photos from before he became ill. The contrast between the two sets of pictures, and her obvious affection in both, is what made people stop scrolling.

One post that circulated widely was a Facebook memory of their anniversary. The screenshot, dated 23 February 2017, marks two years together, and her caption, as translated in the reports, read: "The second anniversary, love the same." Some English-language versions of the story called it their third anniversary; the screenshot itself shows the second.

The photos she shared

Some of the images below show the tumour clearly and are blurred by default. Tap or click to view them.

A close selfie of the couple, with Atittaya smiling broadly and Pooh's swollen eyes clearly visible beside her. She chose to share pictures like this openly instead of cropping or hiding his face.

An earlier photo of the couple outdoors, taken before his illness, showing how he looked when they started dating.

Pooh, thin and bare-chested, sits beside Atittaya with her arm around him. The tumour covers much of the upper part of his face.

Pooh with heavy bandages over his eyes, sitting next to Atittaya, who smiles into the camera.

A quiet moment at home: Atittaya kneels to help Pooh, whose eyes are bandaged, as he sits on the edge of a bed.

A side-by-side comparison of the couple during his illness and earlier in their relationship, of the kind that circulated widely with the story.

The Facebook memory dated 23 February 2017, marking two years together, above one of their selfies.

(The Facebook video originally embedded here is no longer available.)

What we know, and what we do not

Stories like this travel fast and lose detail on the way. A few points are worth keeping straight:

• The diagnosis is not confirmed. Reports described "eye cancer" or a malignant facial tumour, but none of the coverage we found named the exact type of cancer or the hospital treating him.
• The timeline is unclear. The anniversary screenshot dates their relationship to around February 2015. Some articles mixed up the second and third anniversaries.
• We do not know the outcome. We could not find reliable follow-up reports on Pooh's health after the 2018 coverage, so it would be wrong to guess.

What is clear from the photographs is the relationship itself: a couple who kept taking pictures together, and a woman who showed her partner's changed face to the world with pride rather than shame.

Eye and orbital cancers: the basics

Cancers in and around the eye are rare. In the United States there are roughly 3,200 new cases a year. They fall into a few broad groups:

• Inside the eye. In adults the most common primary cancer is uveal melanoma. In young children it is retinoblastoma, which is curable in more than 95% of cases when it is caught early.
• Around the eye. Cancers can start in the eyelid (most often basal cell carcinoma), the conjunctiva or the eye socket (orbit), where lymphoma is the most common malignancy.
• Spread from elsewhere. Breast and lung cancers are the most common cancers to spread to the eye.

Warning signs include a growing dark spot on the eye, changes in vision, a bulging eye, persistent swelling, or, in children, a white glow in the pupil in flash photos. Treatments range from laser and radiation to surgery, and specialists aim first to save life, then sight, then appearance. Anyone with a worrying change in or around the eye should talk to a doctor promptly; early diagnosis gives far more options.

How to support a partner with serious illness

Atittaya's story resonated because it showed something many people fear they could not do. Support during cancer is rarely one grand gesture. Cancer organisations describe it as a mix of practical and emotional help:

• Practical help. Lifts to appointments, meals, help with medicines and paperwork, and keeping friends updated so the patient does not have to.
• Being present. Simply spending ordinary time together, as these photos show, can matter as much as anything medical.
• Asking, not assuming. People with illness differ in how much they want to talk, be photographed or be seen. Following their lead protects their dignity.
• Learning about the illness. Understanding the diagnosis and treatment helps carers feel less helpless and ask better questions.

Carers need care too

The US National Cancer Institute puts it plainly: "If you don't take care of yourself, you won't be able to take care of others." It suggests carers set aside some time each day for rest or something they enjoy, keep in touch with friends, accept offers of help, and keep up with their own health checks.

Anger, guilt, exhaustion and grief are normal for carers. Support groups, counsellors, social workers or faith leaders can help, and anyone who feels low for more than a couple of weeks should talk to a doctor.

Seeing the person, not the illness

Visible illness and facial differences can bring stares, comments and isolation. Part of what made Atittaya's photos powerful is that they refused that. In every picture she is looking at the camera, smiling, close to him.

When we see stories like this online, the kindest response is the same one she modelled: treat the person with ordinary warmth, share with respect, and remember that behind every viral photo is a real family living through something hard.

Sources: Photos shared by Atittaya Chumkeaw on social media, as republished in 2018 by news sites including Báo Mới (1 March 2018); Wikipedia: Eye neoplasm; National Cancer Institute: Support for families and caregivers.