PETALING JAYA: In a sort of betrayal of her work as a meditation teacher and motivational speaker, Cordelia Lee gave in to depression after a doctor told her that her son Patrick could be suffering from a rare disease.However, after several months of crying every day, she decided enough was enough. It was up to her, she realised, to make sure that Patrick’s life had meaning.
Lee, 51, said the inspiration for Never Give Up came after doctors said there were potential future medical complications in store for Patrick. Patrick received a liver transplant at the age of one year and nine months and seems to be doing better now. Currently aged five, he appears to be a happy and lively kid. But Lee and her husband Kon Ket Sing, constantly monitor him to ensure there are no further health complications.
“I would sing ‘Never Give Up’ to motivate the other mothers. Many of them were touched. I told them I was performing it at talks and events, and they said this was a very small scale. I should think bigger, bring it to wider platforms.”Before recording her song, Lee went through an artist development programme conducted by Jingles Management. This was in 2021 and it was to sharpen her singing and songwriting skills.