Living Fully with Chronic Illness ft. Cliff Tam & Dr Tam Wai Jia | Kitedreams

If you live with chronic illness, you know how strange it feels to look fine on the outside—while fighting invisible battles within. Maybe you learn to smile through pain. Plan your days around fatigue. Wonder if you can do what someone else could easily say yes to. Some days, you might ask yourself, “Does my chronic illness exclude me from pursuing my passion or limit my dreams?” 🎙️ In this Treasures of Darkness episode, Dr. Wai Jia sits down with her husband, Cliff Tam—a liver-cancer-and-transplant survivor, Ironman triathlete, missionary to some of Africa’s hardest places, and father—to talk about what it means to live between fear and faith when chronic illness never really “goes away.” They talk about: ✨ Cliff’s liver transplant at age 10—and the “GREAT!” birthday cake he ate in ICU ✨ Why he calls the Ironman “totally possible—but very boring” 😅 ✨ The health crises that shook our marriage—before our proposal and again in Tanzania ✨ What it means to trust God when healing isn’t guaranteed ✨ How faith can transform fear into peace Chapters 00:00 Introduction 01:05 The "Darkest" Season of Cliff's Life 03:25 Positive Perspectives in Adversity 06:22 How a Liver Transplant Affected Cliff's Upbringing 10:11 What made you think you could do an Ironman? 14:13 Making the Impossible Possible 16:00 Reflections on Parental Influence 19:58 Health Improvements and Medical Journey 22:46 Navigating Chronic Illness and Mental Health 26:53 Finding Peace with Chronic Illness 28:47 Cliff's Encounter with God During the Ironman --------- Many people in the world have lost or buried their dreams. Kitedreams' mission is to change that. We hope this space re-inspires you to dream bravely and live boldly. Stay in touch with us: Web: www.kitedreams.org Wai Jia's Blog: http://blog.kitedreams.org/ Wai Jia's Instagram:   / drwaijiatam   Wai Jia's Facebook:   / waijia   Email: hello@kitedreams.org #Kitedreams #TamWaiJia