At 25, I was diagnosed with Hodgkin’s lymphoma during Christmas 2022 while working as a recruitment consultant. I underwent twelve sessions of chemotherapy with Dr. Jay Suriar over six months. It was a difficult period, but art became my safe space. Whenever I sat down to paint, I would lose track of time, giving me a much needed distraction from the constant side effects of treatment.

As I explored painting further, I began researching art supplies and eventually started my own online art supplies store, combining my passion for art with my interest in business. Today, I run the store full time, and looking back, it has become one of the best things to come out of my diagnosis.

Instagram: @artpanda.co

Artwork Series: Season of Change

Moonlit Winter

The beginning of treatment, symbolizing the cold, isolating start of chemotherapy. the deer under the moon embodies quiet endurance, surviving the harshest season.

Autumn Path

As treatment progressed, change became inevitable. the golden forest represents shedding old pain, accepting transformation, and finding strength in transition.

Sunset Pier

Nearing recovery, the summer glow reflects hope and reflection. the pier reaching into the horizon symbolizes faith in tomorrow and the calm after struggle.

Spring Cascade

The final stage, full of renewal and vitality. the waterfall and turquoise pool embody cleansing, rebirth, and the joy of life returning with fresh energy.

The Story Behind the Artwork

During treatment, life felt like it had flipped upside down. Everything became quiet, and I suddenly had long hours with nothing to do. My partner encouraged me to find joy again, so he bought me a set of brushes, two 30x40 canvases, and six basic acrylic paints. I started painting at home, not realising it would grow into something much bigger.

Painting led me to explore more supplies, especially those I couldn’t find locally. While thinking about my next career move (since going back to the corporate world didn’t feel like the right choice), I spent hours researching, built an online store, and began importing and selling art materials that I loved using. Since I was young, I had always enjoyed going to stationery stores and could spend hours window shopping. That simple passion eventually became a reality.

My first sale came after about a week, and soon, orders started arriving daily. I turned my house storeroom into an inventory space and the kitchen counter into my packing station (sorry, Mom!). I remember coming back from chemo one day, feeling like my body was about to collapse. Then an order notification came in, and I pushed myself to pack it. It took me 30 minutes just to prepare a small order, but I was happy because, even in that moment, I had a sense of purpose.

As the business expanded, I moved from my home into a warehouse, and now I run it full time with the help of my family. What began as a small act of joy during chemo became a huge turning point in my life.

Life changed completely for me when I was diagnosed with Burkitt lymphoma in April 2024. It was a scary and terrifying time, but I was exceptionally fortunate to have Dr. Jay Suriar, who is more than just a brilliant specialist; he is the most supportive and coolest doctor I have ever met.

The road to healing was physically and emotionally demanding, with intense rounds of chemotherapy and a gruelling stem cell transplant. However, thanks to the excellent care of the medical team and my determination, I completed all the treatments. Finally, I can say that I beat it and survived!

I am a proud, dedicated fan of Liverpool Football Club. Watching them play gave me the perfect distraction when things got tough. The bond became even more personal when I received an unexpected package from the club: a well wishes note signed by the iconic manager Jürgen Klopp and the entire first team squad.

To celebrate making it through, I travelled to Liverpool last year to watch a live match at Anfield. Standing there with thousands of cheering fans and singing You'll Never Walk Alone gave me goosebumps.

Other than football, I love to paint. Painting always gives me a sense of calm, freedom and joy, especially when playing with colours.

Today, I stand tall as a cancer survivor. I am ready to live my life to the absolute fullest — and here's to many more trips to Anfield!

YNWA — You'll Never Walk Alone
When you walk through a storm, hold your head up high
And don't be afraid of the dark.

Artwork 1: Door of Hope

The Story Behind the Artwork

A doorway to a new start. Stepping out of a scary, dark time and walking into a happy, healthy future.

This cheerful turquoise door stands welcoming and bright, surrounded by lush green vines and colourful flowers. It feels like stepping into hope - a happy invitation to new beginnings, fresh air and beautiful days ahead.

My heartfelt thank you to my amazing doctor, Dr. Jay Suriar who helped me walk through my own door of healing. Not forgetting the wonderful nurses and staff at this hospital who cared for me and has endlessly given me the courage and support throughout my treatment. Here's to hope and healing!

Artwork 2: Always Kind (In memory of Ziyad)

The Story Behind the Artwork

You are always in our heart. You are deeply missed every single day.

When my mom painted this, a close friend of mine passed away. You left us too soon.

It was one of the darkest moments in my life but it was the greatest lesson God has given me. This painting it dedicated to you. It reflects you who is warm and always kind. You mean the world Ziyad.

-The painter's son-

Artwork 3: The Colours of Life

The Story Behind the Artwork

This painting is a beautiful picture of what it feels like to live after beating cancer.

The wide mix of colours represents a celebration of life, hope and the beautiful second chance I've been given. It sort of a cheerful reminder that even after the darkest storms, life can bloom again, vibrantly..full of colours. Fought hard through the grey days and now my world is bright again. A gentle reminder that brighter days and beautiful new chapters are always waiting.

Artwork 4: A Quiet Horizon

The Story Behind the Artwork

The cool and calm colours used in this painting portrays a sense of peace, a reclaimed freedom and a renewal of life after enduring intense treatments. The storm has passed. The hard times gave me a new strength. I survived the battle. 'Quiet’ captures the feeling of finally taking a deep breath after a very intense and long fight.

The ‘Horizon’ represents the strength to keep moving forward and looking ahead to a brighter tomorrow.

Dato’ Kamisah Md Nor is a self-taught Malaysian artist who began painting during the pandemic. A former restaurant owner in London, she discovered art later in life as a form of personal expression. She channels life’s simple joys directly onto canvas.

She prefers to be known as Dato’ Misah, a name that reflects, from young, the warm, and personal spirit behind both the artist and her work.

Through vibrant hues and free-flowing forms, Dato’ Misah invites viewers into her world: one that is light-hearted and unapologetically joyful. Working in a whimsical, naive style, she paints what makes her happy, allowing each canvas to become a reflection of her emotions and experiences.

For Dato’ Misah, painting has become more than an artistic pursuit. She finds that painting everyday brings comfort and purpose, and has become an important part of her journey towards recovery. The process of creating – from choosing colours to allowing the brush to move freely across the canvas – is deeply therapeutic for her, offering moments of calm, joy and emotional release.

Beyond her home studio, Dato’ Misah is also known for her community work. She was an active volunteer at a drug rehabilitation centre for 12 years, and in November 2023 held a solo exhibition to raise funds for Persatuan Pengasih Malaysia (PENGASIH).

According to Rafie Ghani, a prominent Malaysian artist, her work embodies “whimsical and naive art” — a reflection of her happy-go lucky spirit and love for vibrant expression.

In December 2025, Dato’ Misah was admitted to Gleneagles Hospital for two weeks for respiratory conditions. She is now on daily medication and attends frequent check-ups. Through it all, she continues to paint – finding strength, comfort and inspiration in the simple act of creating each day.

In her canvases, Dato’ Misah proves that art can begin at any age, and that the most honest expression often comes from the heart.

Instagram: @misah.art

Artwork 1: Under the Sea

The Story Behind the Artwork

Inspired by her fascination with documentaries about marine life, Under the Sea brings to life Dato’ Misah’s own joyful interpretation of the underwater world. Colourful fish swim among vibrant corals, filling the canvas with movement, energy and a sense of wonder.

Through lively colours and playful details, the painting captures the ocean as a place of happiness and discovery, where nature thrives in countless shapes and forms. It reflects the simple joy of imagining a world beneath the surface, inviting viewers to pause, explore and discover something new with every look.

Artwork 2: Anak Ikan Series

The Story Behind the Artwork

A celebration of little fish in all their wonderful differences, Anak Ikan Series brings together fish of different sizes, patterns and personalities, swimming side by side in a lively display of bold colours.

Some are big, some are small, some striped and others spotted, yet together they create a vibrant and harmonious underwater scene. Through its playful simplicity, the painting celebrates diversity and individuality, reminding us that our differences are what make the world more colourful, interesting and joyful.

Artwork 3: Whimsy Garden

The Story Behind the Artwork

Inspired by a visit to the Secret Garden in Greenwich, Whimsy Garden is Dato’ Misah’s imaginative interpretation of a garden where nature is free to take on unexpected colours and forms.

Bright flowers, flourishing leaves and delicate butterflies emerge against a deep blue background, creating a world that feels both magical and alive. Rather than recreating what she saw, Dato’ Misah transforms the memory through her own colourful perspective, capturing the wonder of discovering a beautiful place and allowing imagination to make it entirely her own.

Artwork 4: Whimsy Sardines

The Story Behind the Artwork

Six smiling sardines, each dressed in its own vibrant shade of pink, teal, orange, lime, blue and red, line up to create the cheerful scene of Whimsy Sardines.

Taking something familiar and everyday, Dato’ Misah transforms it through colour, character and a touch of humour. Simple yet full of personality, the painting is a playful reminder that inspiration can be found in the most ordinary things, and that a little imagination can turn the familiar into something unexpected, colourful and joyful.

Dr. Emily Goh spent the past 20 years as a physician at Gleneagles Hospital Kuala Lumpur, a workplace that became her home away from home. Here, she met many wonderful colleagues and loyal patients over the years, many of whom also had the chance to enjoy her hobbies, from homemade soaps and low sugar cakes and biscuits to displays of her artwork.

Now retired and facing health challenges of her own, Gleneagles Hospital Kuala Lumpur remains the home away from home she chooses to stay connected with. With each passing day, she hopes that things will continue to get better for those around her and that everyone will find joy, strength, and meaning in living life to the fullest.

Artwork: Live Life in Full Bloom

Each flower in Live Life in Full Bloom represents the possibility of embracing life fully and finding joy in the present moment. Through the delicate forms and colours of the Iris, Peony, Clematis and Desert Rose, the artwork reflects the many ways in which life can unfold, each unique and beautiful in its own way.

Much like flowers, we experience different seasons in life. There are moments when we flourish and moments when we face uncertainty or change. Yet even through challenging times, there is always beauty to be found if we allow ourselves the time to notice it.

This artwork is a gentle reminder that whatever we may be going through, we can take a breath, pause and simply be present. Sometimes, it is in these quiet moments that we rediscover the beauty around us and remember to appreciate life as it blooms.

The Story Behind the Artwork

I started painting with watercolours from scratch during the pandemic. With hours spent at home, I turned to YouTube videos to learn and began painting flowers, always using real flowers as my inspiration.

Initially, I painted simply for myself, but I would share my work in my colleagues’ WhatsApp groups to cheer them up. People began telling me that there was something about the simplicity of the paintings that made them feel happy and peaceful.

The response was so encouraging that I eventually turned my artwork into annual calendars and notebooks, which I sold in support of my charity of choice, the Selangor Cheshire Home. To my delight, they sold out like hotcakes!

I am grateful that my art can bring a sense of happiness and joy to others, especially amid the challenges of daily life during the pandemic and beyond.

I am a self-taught artist residing in Tropicana Indah. Before retiring, I spent my career working with an architecture firm and later with a property developer.

Early retirement gave me the opportunity to reconnect with my artistic roots. For the first five years, I experimented with acrylics on canvas, focusing on the abstract art forms I was first introduced to during high school.

In 2017, my creative journey took a new turn when I began exploring watercolour with Urban Sketchers Kuala Lumpur. Everything was new to me, and the learning curve was steep. During our meetups across the city, fellow sketchers generously shared their knowledge of tools, brushes, paints and paper. Like many self-taught artists, I also turned to YouTube for additional tips and inspiration.

At the same time, my artistic journey became an exploration of Kuala Lumpur itself. I discovered the city on foot with the help of Google Maps and navigated its newly built flyovers using Waze. To put my geographical struggles into perspective, a routine 20 km drive that should have taken 30 minutes would often turn into a 90-minute adventure!

Instagram: @indigoh1

Artwork Series: Sketches from Lepak Sketch Fridays

Copenhagen Central Station - Copenhagen, Denmark
Bukit Tinggi - Pahang, Malaysia
Binion's - Las Vegas, USA
New York Water Taxi - New York, USA

The Story Behind the Artwork

Just as I grew accustomed to my weekly sketching routine, the pandemic hit. During the Movement Control Order (MCO), a group of us began sketching together online every Friday, a weekly ritual we called ‘Lepak Sketch Friday’.

We painted from photographs of our past travels, revisiting memories with a sense of nostalgia for happier times in an open world. This routine gave us a sense of structure and connection at a time when the world outside felt completely unpredictable.

What started with just two of us gradually grew into a group of eight. Though many of us began as strangers, our shared love for art turned us into virtual friends. When the MCO was eventually lifted, we finally met in person, transforming an online creative ritual into real-life friendships and lasting memories.

For me, these four artworks speak directly of my inner strength during that scary time - a quiet determination to face adversity within a community of shared interest. Inspite of being total strangers initially, we committed to show up for each other every single Friday. They do not represent places we longed to revisit, but treasured memories from a time when we genuinely did not know when we would be able to travel again.