MANILA -- “Smile lang ng smile.”

This simple piece of advice has guided Timmy Cruz on her life journey.

The '80s pop star fondly recalled how her signature smile helped launch her singing and acting careers.

“This smile, ito ang puhunan ko sa show business. That’s why they got me to do commercials, for TV shows and others,” she beamed.

It’s the same smile that also got her through her most difficult phase, Cruz said, as she shared her conquest of cancer and how illness led to awareness, wellness and newness.

“Our smile, it has power. And it has peace and I’ve been using and developing that,” said Cruz, clad in a candy red sweater top, revealing for the first time with ABS-CBN News her battle with the big C.

UNWANTED DISCOVERY

Cruz was working on a new teleserye, juggling acting, managing the family’s business and composing at the same time when it hit.

“About two years ago, I was doing a teleserye and I could feel something in my chest. I thought it’s because puyat ako or masyado kong dinidibdib ang aking role. I called the doctor and said, I think I want to do my annual check already. It wasn’t time yet but I decided to do my mammogram and then a biopsy. Then finally they gave me the test results and it was malignant,” she recalled.

Cruz was diagnosed with early stage of breast cancer.

“It was stage 1 and that to me is the biggest challenge, something you’d never wish on anyone, more so yourself. When it dawned on me, your world crumbles. But will you let it crumble for a long time? I had to make a choice. I had to submit myself to every test possible, submit myself to all the doctors and I had to go through surgery. During my surgery, all I could hear was ‘smile, just smile.'”

Cruz even prepared letters for loved ones, family and friends, thinking she may not have the opportunity to say what she wanted to, after the operation.

Life and fate though had other plans.

She managed to settle some unfinished business, and found closure on personal matters.

It was a new day for Cruz, and that moment after surgery became a time to heal.

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NEW TALENT UNLOCKED

Cruz took the break opportunity to rest, compose songs, and paint.

“When I was a singer, one my dreams was to be a composer, a songwriter. I was always given songs by other people, but I never really felt it because it wasn’t really mine,” she said.

Cruz recently signed up with Flip Music for distribution of songs she had composed -- songs of inspiration, love, hope and peace.

“I really call it feel-good music because it embraces everyone. It’s not part of any religion. I sing for all sorts of people, it is very inspirational.”

The "Boy" hitmaker shared that music has been the ‘soul’ of her life even at a young age.

Cruz also tried painting, which became a part of her road to wellness. She now keeps a private collection.

“I would hold the brush and I would do the exercises from the therapy. So I used a very big canvass so I could stretch my arm. I started first with stones, then small canvass, now it’s a whole new world for me.”

FAMILY BUSINESS AND CHASING DREAMS

Cruz, the fifth of six children, was being groomed to head the family-run Paluwagan ng Bayan Savings Bank.

While at the University of the Philippines (UP), Cruz took up Business Administration and later finished Banking and Finance at the University of San Francisco in the United States.

“During break time I would just sneak into the UP College of Music, and I wouldn’t know anyone there and pass through all the rooms and if someone’s doing voice lessons I would pause for a moment and savor the moment and dreaming in my head maybe one day, I could be a singer,” she recalled.

She later enrolled as a visiting student at the UP College of Music, something she had kept from family and friends.

“Pag ganon, naka-focus ka na lang and bahala na kung anong mangyari and one day, true enough, I accepted an offer to do a shampoo commercial. I don’t know how it happened I was all over television at that time.”

The TV commercial gave her confidence to try her luck at a recording studio. Going over the phone directory, she found Vicor Music, one of the largest record labels in the country.

“Tinawagan ko si Vicor sa landline, sinabi ko gusto ko pumunta duon. Sinabi ko na ako 'yung nasa commercial. Sabi niya, kung ikaw talaga 'yung girl sa commercial, pumunta ka rito ngayon kaya ako nag-walk in duon. Hindi ako kumanta. He (producer) signed me up without hearing my voice,” she narrated.

Holding a recording contract, Cruz went home giggling and excited at the thought of becoming a full-fledged singer. But how to tell her parents was a problem.

Her parents, Angel and Lourdes Cruz, were both lawyers and had prepared Timmy for bigger responsibilities in running the family business.

“So what I did was I left it (contract) on top of my mom’s desk. I waited for my mom to come home that afternoon and then, from afar I can see her, and my heart was beating so fast and she goes, 'FATIMA!' She goes to me, ‘this is temporary right?’ and in my mind ‘no way, this is going to be temporary this is it for me’ – and my voice goes, ‘Yes, Ma it’s going to be temporary’ but in my mind, I’m going to be a superstar.”

OPM HITS

Cruz went on with her singing career, with OPM hits "Boy," "Joke Lang" and "Tingin." Guesting on variety shows and staging concerts, her singing career took off quickly.

As her popularity rose, offers came for her to try acting.

“I became quite close to boss Vic del Rosario who was also president of Vicor. And I was also fascinated by my dream, my desire. He told me one daym why won’t you try being an actress? I said, 'Boss, no. I don’t want to be an actress, I just want to be a singer.' He said, 'Subukan mo lang, kasi para sa akin I think magiging mabuting artista ka.'”

Cruz took on the challenge, and joined an acting workshop with renowned director Laurice Guillen to prepare herself for future roles.

“I had to bring out my guts and I didn’t like it at all. It was like throwing up everytime and she (Guillen) got me by the shoulder and said, ‘Ikaw, alam mo maraming laman 'yan sa loob. Kapag hindi mo inilabas 'yan, hindi ka magiging magaling na artista.”

Cruz took those words to heart which helped her cruise into the world of acting. She first took on light comedy roles, alongside Herbert Bautista and Jimmy Santos, and eventually, serious drama with Dina Bonnevie.

HOME AND HAPPY

Cruz now calls Tagaytay and Makati home. In bucolic Tagaytay, she’s kept company by Anatolian Shepherd dogs, which she also breeds.

“Niregalo sa 'kin 'yung puppy ko and it was so big as a pup so sabi ko dun sa kaibigan ko kunin mo na lang, ang laki laki. Sabi niya try it for a month, so I tried it. I fell in love with the dog. It’s so smart and so loving and very easy to train.”

At 58, Cruz shared these dogs sit with her in meditation, a daily regimen she practices.

“The dogs also love the garden so they’re my friends and family as well.”

Cruz added that staying positive in one’s approach to life keep her happy, healthy and able to share that encouraging energy to others.

“I became quite close to boss Vic del Rosario who was also president of Vicor. And I was also fascinated by my dream, my desire. He told me one daym why won’t you try being an actress? I said, 'Boss, no. I don’t want to be an actress, I just want to be a singer.' He said, 'Subukan mo lang, kasi para sa akin I think magiging mabuting artista ka.'”