My Life Journey

How would you like to make organ donation your passion?

Well, one brave soul did – Chew Hoong Ling. To cut it short, she donated 60% of her liver to save a 13 year old girl, and today she’s the campaigner of organ donation. Basically her job is to inspire people /  convince people to pledge their organs, and she’s been successful. I’ll tell you why later because I have something to say now.

I have finally tasted Starbucks coffee! Lolx. I’m a guy who doesn’t think paying  more than RM13 for a coffee is worth it, so the only way I’m holding this cup was because it’s free.

There are many things I’ve learned from this session which I would like to share, so here it goes. How Hoong Ling came to donate part of her organ was pretty simple. She received a forwarded email (like most of us did), saying a 13 year old girl was in dire need of a liver transplant. The difference was this – she didn’t forward that forwarded email instead she responded by calling the hospital. Then one thing led to another. She went for a test to determine the suitability. In the course of her test, she found out she actually had only one kidney – all these while, she was born with only one kidney. Sometimes you discover stuff in an unusual circumstances, doesn’t it? Without saying she passed the test.

Now she faced many objections from different people till she doubted her decision until someone told her that it was her fate and karma to do this operation, and that once she’s decided, she is not to look back.

Before they proceeded with the operations, she had to undergo strict interview/process from the ethics committee. There are three parties involved – the doctor, donor and receiver.  This is to make sure that the doctor is not doing it for the money (alone); the donor fully aware of the consequences and under no circumstances being forced nor involved in selling of the organ, and the receiver is indeed in a life-threatening stage where organ transplant is the only solution.

Here are some interesting facts. Doctor told her that her chance of death was 1 to 1.5%. That’s why she had the confidence to go on with the operation. The liver is the only organ that can grow back. Now Hoong Ling’s liver has fully grown back, even bigger than before. She donate about 500gm of her liver. Have you wonder why major operations take so many hours to complete? Dressed very casually, Hoong Ling said that the doctors had to cut very carefully and tie up every artery they come across. That means cut a bit, tie, cut a bit, tie, cut a bit, tie. That’s why lo.

The sad part is that the 13 year old girl did not survive the ordeal but not because of the liver cancer case. Months after the operation, she had bone cancer (not spread from the liver cancer). Because of that, she had to undergo chemotherapy and as a result her immune system was very weak. She contracted lung disease and died.

Sad indeed but it wasn’t a wasted donation. In fact Hoong Ling’s act extended the girl’s life for 8 months. It may not seem all that long, but try imagine yourself in her situation, you would cherish every second of it.

At this point I shall recommend you to watch ‘7 Pounds’. Another solid performance by Will Smith with a great story. I say great story because I had no inkling what Will Smith was trying to do and it wasn’t predictable. Maybe I have low IQ but go ahead and watch it anyway, if you haven’t already.

Hoong Ling now goes everywhere with forms – lest anyone might want to pledge their organs. She’s been doing a great job even for someone who’s signed up. Back then I didn’t want to donate my skin and eyes upon death. I pictured myself dead, with only bones and no eyes! eeeewww. Looking at a dead person is spooky enough, but to actually look at one without his skin and eyeballs is like a halloween nightmare. However after explanation I have decided to donate it all! woohoo. As for skin, they’ll only graft the back part or perhaps your thigh. As for the eye, they don’t actually take the whole eyeball but the cornea. So yea, not so scary now.

Before

Now

This is me with the courageous Hoong Ling who’s also known as the mercedes girl no thanks to the operation scar. Is a whole 14 inch mercedes scar (yes we saw it – she showed to the crowd). This info – 14 inch – had won me a present from the quiz section! It’s a bag. Great, just what I needed as I’m actually running out of bags to carry. For some reason all my previous bags have torn on the part where you carry or sling over your shoulder, if you get what I mean.

I look forward to more great stories, free coffees, and gifts! In the mean time, go pledge your organ. It’s really a waste not to cause you are dead anyway. You won’t feel a thing, right? lolx.