Wee Lee King is no ordinary man. From a childhood of hardship in the fields of Malaysia, to the trials and tribulations of life in Singapore during WWII, to being diagnosed with terminal leukaemia, he has lived a life many can only imagine.

Today, Wee Lee King has earned the right to be addressed as Dr Wee Lee King having been conferred a PhD in 2005 C at the age of 73! His is a story of a determined quest for life-long learning that serves as a beacon of inspiration to all of us.

The war years delayed Dr Wee's university education. But at the age of 39, and after five long years of intense studying attending classes every night for three hours five days a week, he received his Bachelor's degree. While getting a first degree at such a late stage in life would satisfy most, Dr Wee's thirst for knowledge remained unquenched. He realized that the more he learnt, the more he could help others, especially in his chosen profession of teaching. His ultimate goal was a PhD, but Singapore in the '70s and '80s did not offer such learning opportunities for working adults. But his goal was never far from his thoughts - all it needed was a compelling reason to get started.

Dr Wee found his compelling reason in May 1988. Stricken with a rare form of leukaemia that afflicts only 1 out of 10 million people, he was told that he had less than two weeks to live. But with the help of a new drug, and an unshakeable desire to live and see his eldest daughter graduate from the National Institute of Education, Dr Wee miraculously survived the ordeal. This brush with death provided the impetus he needed to pursue his ultimate dream of a PhD. He wanted to "see if my brains were normal" after having survived such a harrowing near death experience.

Dr Wee certainly put his brains to the test and came through with flying colours, graduating with an MBA at the age of 70 in 2002, and a PhD in 2005. Throughout his studies, he was frequently asked the same question: "Why?" His usual answer was: "Why not?" His belief is that learning is a life-long pursuit and "the more you know, the more you can help and the more you help, the more you enjoy life". Coupled with his other very strong belief that "If you can do it, then do it!" it is easy to understand what drives Dr Wee in life.

While Dr Wee's maxims may appear simple, it rings resoundingly loud, especially for most of us who consciously or unconsciously calculate the "return on investment" before starting anything, including the quest for knowledge. For Dr Wee, the pursuit of knowledge is just reward, and the sharing of this newly acquired knowledge the just dessert. Food for thought indeed!

Dr Wee certainly walks the talk and is a part-time lecturer at the Asia Pacific College in Singapore where he delivers lectures filled with facts, theories and buckets of inspirational anecdotes. He is also a sought after motivational speaker on the why's, how's and what's-in-it-for-me of life-long learning. His motivational tale has captivated audiences locally, and as far away as China where he addressed university students twice last year. So impressed were the Chinese with Dr Wee's inspirational tale that they named a part of a university "Wee Lee King Hall" after him to serve as a constant reminder to their students.

This Chinese proverb is, without a doubt, Dr Wee's greatest lesson to anyone contemplating the journey as a life-long learner. Just do it, and like Dr Wee, you will enjoy the benefits of a healthy, active and fulfilling life C at any age!