Cancer patient upset over $200 fee after gym advises her to cancel membership: ‘Have some compassion’
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A 56-year-old cancer patient undergoing chemotherapy has questioned the compassion shown by her gym after she was told to pay a $200 early cancellation fee despite explaining that she was medically unfit to exercise.
Stomper Chew, who was diagnosed with lymphoma, said she approached the gym in Tampines in August to discuss suspending her membership while undergoing treatment.
What followed, she said, was weeks of uncertainty, repeated follow-ups and an unexpected cancellation fee.
“This is no longer simply about $200,” she told Stomp.
“It is about how a seriously ill customer is being treated.”
From returning to the gym to fighting cancer again
Chew joined the gym in May 2026 on a senior citizen membership costing $98 a month, with a minimum commitment of 12 months.
She said she had received clearance from her physiologist and a sports medicine doctor at Changi General Hospital to resume exercising after two years of health struggles.
She recalled being full of hope and happiness after finally being able to return to the gym.
“Thought I did it after fighting for two years... Then, it happened again!” she said.
However, as she underwent chemotherapy, continuing her gym membership became impractical.
On Aug 21, she contacted the gym to ask whether a doctor’s memo would be sufficient to suspend her membership for medical reasons.
According to WhatsApp screenshots shared with Stomp, a representative explained that membership freezes during the minimum term were permitted for overseas travel exceeding 30 days or medical reasons.
She was told to provide documentation confirming that she was unable to use the gym.
Chew explained that her haematologist would issue a memo and that she had recently been discharged from hospital.
When she asked whether freezing or cancelling would be better, the representative replied: “It may be best to proceed with the cancellation instead. You can always sign up again when you’re ready in the future.”
Following that advice, Chew submitted her doctor’s memo on Aug 25 to request cancellation.
She followed up the next day, hoping to settle the matter before her next monthly deduction on Sept 1.
‘Can your management have some compassion?’
On Sept 7, Chew received a message informing her that her request for early cancellation had been approved.
However, she was also told that she would need to pay a $200 early cancellation fee before the termination could be processed.
The fee came as a surprise to her.
“You suggested that a cancellation would be better instead of a tentative suspension (and) so we proceeded with it. Now you surprised me with your $200 fees!” she wrote.
“Can’t this be waived based on my situation?”
“Can your management have some compassion?”
The representative replied that the fee was part of her membership agreement and was required for early cancellation.
Chew questioned why she had not been informed about the fee when cancellation was first recommended.
She subsequently decided to freeze her membership instead.
The representative indicated that a one-year pause could be arranged, which Chew accepted, and said the request would be submitted for processing.
However, the Stomper continued to seek formal confirmation that the arrangement had been approved.
On Sept 12, she also questioned why $98 had been deducted for September despite having contacted the gym in August.
“Where is your office? As a cancer patient under chemo, must I come to your office to resolve this challenge?” she wrote.
Membership eventually frozen, but patient remains unhappy
On Sept 18, the gym representative explained that membership payments were processed on the first of each month.
As Chew’s cancellation request was approved only on Sept 7, and she had subsequently opted to pause her membership, the September payment could not be backdated, the representative said.
Chew remained dissatisfied, questioning why cancellation had been recommended in the first place.
Two days later, the representative clarified that cancellation had only been offered as an option and that her membership freeze was still awaiting approval.
“I’m sorry for the wait, and truly sorry to hear about your surgery, wishing you a smooth recovery,” the representative wrote.
It was not until Sept 28 that the Stomper received confirmation that her membership had been frozen.
She was informed that deductions would automatically resume in October 2027.
However, Chew told Stomp she was not satisfied with the outcome, as she still wanted to cancel her membership without paying the $200 early termination fee.
“I wanted to cancel my membership and do not wish to pay for the $200,” she said when asked whether she was happy with the resolution.
She also confirmed that the $98 deducted for September had not been refunded.
“By no choice, I have left it as ‘frozen’ because I do not think they want to communicate with me further,” she added.
Although the freeze was eventually approved, Chew felt the process had caused her unnecessary distress while she was undergoing treatment.
“I approached the gym in good faith and clearly explained my medical circumstances,” she said.
“I followed the instructions given to me, obtained and submitted a doctor’s memo, and relied on the representative’s recommendation to proceed with cancellation.”
She questioned why the $200 fee had not been explained earlier and why it had taken so long to confirm her membership freeze.
“I am not asking for special treatment,” she said. “I am asking for reasonable communication, transparency, compassion and fair handling of a medical situation.”
She added: “The last thing I should have to worry about during treatment is repeatedly chasing a gym for clarification over a membership that I cannot physically use.”
Chew hopes sharing her experience will encourage businesses to be more understanding towards customers facing serious medical challenges.
Stomp has contacted the gym for comment.
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