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Matapos ang pitong taon, nagbabalik ang singer-actress na si Timmy Cruz.

Sa intimate media conference na inihanda para sa kanya ng bago niyang talent management, ang Artist Circle, kahapon (October 3), inilahad ni Timmy kung bakit bigla siyang nawala sa showbiz.

“This month is Breast Cancer Awareness Month. So, what happened to me, I was in a teleserye [Once Again, 2016] with Ms. Jean Garcia and Mr. Aljur Abrenica. I was playing a mother and we were in a hospital. 'Yung aking anak, sa role ko, mayroon siyang sakit. 'Tapos, bigla kong naisip magpa-checkup. We had long break, so nagpunta ako sa hospital. I called up my doctor pero sabi niya, 'Kailangan mo pang maghintay.' So, naghintay pa ako ng ilang weeks," aniya.

“It was just a routine checkup which I have every year. Mayroon silang nakita. Ang nakita nila, 'yun na nga! I decided to take a break muna so I can take care of myself.

“I didn't have to undergo chemo or anything. It was just my choice to go deeply into self-care. Self-care meaning, you know, sit back, relax muna, and enjoy what you should be enjoying.”

Ayon kay "Boy" singer, hindi naging madali ang pagtanggap niya sa diagnosis sa kanya noong una, lalo na noong ipatanggal na niya ang isa niyang suso.

“When that happens to you… I asked the doctor, 'What is it?' And the doctor said, 'It's cancer.' So, when I heard that, no matter how strong you are, giba lahat,” sabi niya.

Kuwento pa niya, “Even if the cancer was very small, I decided to remove one of my breasts. Doing that as a woman, it's really something. Super dramatic ang moment na 'yun. I had to talk to myself and say goodbye to one of my breasts. But it's okay, I have an implant just so you know.

“I never want anything falls in my body. Ayaw ko talaga ng anything na hindi totoo. Sa akin binigay. So, noong sa akin binigay, inisip ko, kailangan kong tanggapin.

“So, coming back to showbiz was very far away from my mind. And coming back right now… I just told the Lord five months ago, 'Lord, balik na tayo.' Siya nagsabi sa akin, 'Balik ka na.' It's only five months and here I am now.

“As I said earlier, when you make a wish and it's a good one, ibibigay talaga sa 'yo. So, heto na tayo ngayon. I hope samahan n'yo ako. Sana maintindihan ninyo na nandito ako para gumawa ng kabutihan at gusto kong ipamahagi ang kabutihan.”

Fulfilling her dream

Sa kanyang pagbabalik-showbiz, isang kantang Pamasko ang handog ni Timmy, ang “All I Want is You.” Isa lamang ito sa maraming kantang kanyang naisulat habang siya ay “nagbabakasyon” mula sa showbiz.

Noong panahong ito, naging aktibo siya sa pagkanta sa Brahma Kumaris, isang spiritual movement, sa Tagaytay. Dito, nilapitan siya ng producers ng Flip Music para i-release sa mainstream ang kanyang mga bagong kanta.

“Next thing I knew, we were signing a contract and all the songs that I wrote during my vacation are really out on all the digital streaming outlet,” nakangiting lahad ni Timmy.

Patuloy niya, “It's really nice that I sat back and I was able to fulfill my dream of becoming a composer. Kasi, sabi ko sa sarili ko, how can I call myself a real artist if I only interpret other people's songs.

“Parang for me, okay singer ka, meron kang mga songs, pero hindi naman ikaw ang sumulat. So parang sa akin, 'Lord, tulungan mo naman ako.'

“What I did, one time I was in a teleserye and nandoon si Ogie Alcasid, di ba, magaling na composer? So, sabi ko, 'Turuan mo naman ako magsulat.' Sabi niya sa akin, 'Kaya mo 'yan.' 'Paano mo ba ginagawa?' 'Basta mag-emote ka lang.' 'Ang hirap naman n'on.' 'Basta mag-emote ka lang, subukan mo nang subukan.'

“I took his advice and I started practicing. Then, there came a time na, boom! Parang ganun na lang. Now, I compose my music.”

Sa ngayon, may mahigit 20 self-composed songs na si Timmy na mapakikinggan sa iba't ibang digital platforms.

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A post shared by Timmy Cruz (@timmycruztlc)

Ready to act again

Bukod sa pagkanta, nais din makabalik ni Timmy sa pag-arte. Ayon sa singer-actress, bagamat ilang buwan lamang matapos siyang ma-diagnose na may breast cancer ay natanggal na ang bahagi na mayroon nito, kinailangan pa rin niyang maghintay ng limang taon bago tuluyang bumalik sa pag-arte.

“There's a five-year observation period. Kaya rin ako hindi pa ako makabalik kasi sabi ko sa sarili ko, 'Huwag mong pilitin,' kahit na natapos na. It happened in June [2016] and then in June, natanggal na, e. Then, I didn't have to have any kind of chemo. I have this maintenance medicine for 10 years. Pero I waited for five years and the pandemic came. So, that's why seven years.

“Hinintay ko talaga yung five years. Sinabi sa akin hintayin ang five years kasi mapupuyat like, dadalhin sa akin ang script ng 7:00, 'tapos dapat nasa set na ako ng 7:30. Nakaka-stress.”

Kung siya ang tatanungin, gusto raw ni Timmy na maging bahagi ng isang serye na mala-Koreanovela.

“You know, during the pandemic, I got into these Koreanovelas and, wow, I was so fascinated with all the stories, the plot, the writing, the camerawork. I was so fascinated that I said to myself, 'One of these days, babalik ako sa acting. Sana magkaroon ako ng role na magaganda.'

“Ang galing kasi nila roon. Pero alam ko na napakagaling na rin natin kaya sana mabigyan ng pagkakataon na maipakita ko rin kung ano 'yung mga nakatago pa.”