'The Good Doctor' actor Will Yun Lee opens up about young son's rare condition Moyamoya disease

ByGeorge Pennacchio WPVI logo
Tuesday, February 25, 2020
'The Good Doctor's' Will Yun Lee opens up about son's rare condition

VANCOUVER, BRITISH COLUMBIA -- Will Yun Lee is one of the stars of the ABC series "The Good Doctor." But in his real life, you might call him "The Good Father." His son, Cash, has spent a lot of time in hospitals. Lee and his actress wife, Jennifer Birmingham Lee, have been there every step of the way.



It's been a rough road at times... but theirs is a story of love, hope and hospital heroes.



"My son, about three years ago, was diagnosed with a disease called Moyamoya," said Lee. "And, essentially, it's where, in the simplest of terms, where all the blood vessels in your brain start collapsing one by one. And three years ago, he had his first stroke. He was 3 years old. And it's been a long journey."



And not an easy one. But the family stayed hopeful. And the surgeon for their little boy became one of their heroes.



"He basically reconstructed the blood vessel system in his head with, like, a double bypass brain surgery," said Lee.



During the time their son was hospitalized, the couple was watching an episode of "The Good Doctor." It was too much for them.



"It was just a scene between Freddie (Highmore) and this young kid and we both just started crying and my wife's like, 'Turn it off! Turn it off!' And cut to about six months later, I was here on this set," said Lee.



Lee is proud to be in the cast of "The Good Doctor." He calls it a show filled with hope, and he says hope is the only thing you have to hold onto in tough times.



"My son was misdiagnosed and he was treated with chemotherapy for a year, which he shouldn't have been," said Lee. "And this show reflected my wife's spirit. And eventually I got on this bullet train with her of trying to find--think outside the box--and find what was wrong with him. And when I actually started watching episodes of this show after I'd been cast, I realized, like, that's what I wanted in a doctor."



While Moyamoya disease is not curable, with treatment, there can be an excellent long-term outcome.



"We're starting to see some light with the magic and the help of some amazing doctors," said Lee.

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