After A Couple Of Closures & Reopenings, 74-Year-Old Cancer-Stricken Hawker Of 88 Katong Laksa Closing Stall Permanently
88 Katong Laksa at Circuit Road Hawker Centre first made headlines in March 2022 after Melvin Chew, founder of Facebook group Hawkers United Dabao 2020, visited the stall and shared the hawker couple’s story on the Facebook hawker group.
Owner of the stall, Charlie Soh, known as Uncle Soh, has been battling Stage 4 cancer for the past 15 years, though the exact diagnosis is unclear. He says he has undergone multiple surgeries on his kidney, pancreas and spine.
No part of this story or photos can be reproduced without permission from 8days.sg.Opened stall to support his wife after stage four cancer diagnosis
After being diagnosed with late-stage cancer in 2010, Charlie opened the stall circa 2018. So his wife Irene would have a livelihood after he passed on. He has defied the odds as doctors only gave him one-and-a-half years to live back in 2022.
After Charlie was discharged from the hospital, Irene reopened the stall alone. "Irene has no alternative but to open her stall to recoup her losses [sic] of incomes for the past 12 days," Charlie wrote on Facebook back then.
Closed again in Jan this year after Irene suffered second-degree burns
Earlier this year, the stall again closed for a month while Irene recuperated from second-degree burns “to her hands and leg whilst doing her cooking at the stall,” Charlie wrote in a post on 4 Jan.
Irene had also undergone knee replacement surgery.
The stall reopened on 26 Jan 2026 and less than two months later, they have made the call to close — for good this time.
In a post announcing the stall’s closure, he wrote of himself and his wife, “Charlie is still battling his 15 [years-long] stage 4 cancers whereas Auntie Irene has just [been] recovering from her second degree burns over her hands whilst at work at the stall. Furthermore, she had undergone her knee replacement surgery.” Their health challenges have clearly taken a toll on the couple.
Their last day of service will be on 29 March 2026.
Hosting their last event for seniors in the neighbourhood
Before the stall’s final day, the couple will be hosting a farewell meal for about 50 seniors from the MacPherson constituency at 3pm today. They have hosted similar sponsored events at the hawker centre for seniors in partnership with sponsors from their constituency in the past.
“The feeling of this happening gives us the happiness and satisfaction that no money can be bought with to see your wishes fulfilled,” says Charlie in his FB post.
88 Katong Laksa’s last day of operations is on 29 Mar 2026. It’s located at #01-49 Circuit Road Hawker Centre, 79 Circuit Rd, S370079. More info via Facebook.
Photos: Charlie Soh/Facebook
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