FOR YOU: Director of HDOK Dr Zorina Khalid Zorina (left) presenting a gift for invited guest, Dr Fadhilah.
SANDAKAN: A father of three children, Chin Yung Khon, 52, is considered one of the luckiest men when he has been given a second chance in life.
Yung Khon was diagnosed with kidney failure in 2006, during those days, he had to struggle on hemodialysis, going to the dialysis centre three times a week which seemed to be the only option he had.
His loving wife, Chin Su Ping, 38, accompanied him to the centre, life was hard for them as every kidney failure patient had to encounter various side effects of dialysis.
Chin later decided to donate one of her kidneys for her husband.
Thus, in 2009, the kidney transplant was of a gift of life for Yung Khon when his wife was tested suitable donor for him.
Like many other patients, having a second chance is an opportunity in life not only to take but give and appreciate life to its fullest, Yung Khon said.
“People who haven’t lived through organ failure don’t know what it’s like, and that organ donation is important,” said Yung Khon, who has also pledged to donate his organs.
Sharing his testimony at a public forum on organ donation at Hospital Duchess of Kent (HDOK), yesterday, he encouraged everyone to take a pledge as organ donors.
He testified that his wife never endured any complications after the transplant.
Besides staying healthy, Su Ping is more active with her community involvement and in her career ever since the operation.
According to manager of National Transplant, Hospital Kuala Lumpur, Datin Dr Fadhilah Zowyah Lela Yasmin Mansor, organ transplant can be conducted in two ways – the typically classified as deceased-donor (formerly known as cadaveric), and living-donor transplantation depending on the source of the organ donor.