Jumping into feature filmmaking was a huge gamble for producer and writer Milton Liu.
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"It was just kind of a leap of faith," he said.
Liu's string of successful projects started with 2008's "Fireflies in the Garden."
In time, Liu also became a warrior for more Asian American Pacific Islander representation in Hollywood.
"We believe that all the issues and increase of Asian hate crimes are because we are not fully represented in the media," he said.
This strong sense of advocacy played a huge role in saving his own life.
Despite colon cancer in his family, doctors told Liu a colonoscopy before the age of 45 wasn't necessary. After ten years of asking, his doctors finally agreed.
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"In October of 2019, they found colon cancer and they stated, 'Oh well, it looks like we found masses in your liver,'" Liu said.
They diagnosed him with stage four disease.
"There's no treatment. You're inoperable since it metastasized. Realistically on chemo, they told me I'd have two years to live," he said.
He received the same assessment from two more doctors. But an "auntie" figure in his life insisted he see her doctors at City of Hope.
"I think overall a significant number of patients who actually would have a chance to be surgical candidates are not given that opportunity," said Dr. Andreas Kaiser, a colorectal surgeon at City of Hope.
He said removing cancer from both the liver and the colon is done routinely. Given his prognosis, Liu was willing to try.
The procedure was done in February of 2020. But then a plot twist - surgeons discovered the lesion removed from Liu's liver was benign.
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"Surprisingly and fortunately, the cancer wasn't a stage four," Kaiser said.
Had no one attempted surgery, the colon cancer would have surely spread. Liu's diligence to find the right doctors made him the hero of his own story.
"Basically would have been a death sentence," he said.
Liu remains cancer free. He encourages others not to skip screenings and if faced with a grim diagnosis to keep fighting.
"If anything feels off. If you just want to get checked, and your primary care physician is kind of hesitant, you know, push it," Liu said.