Cabby Tong
Ming Ming, 34, touched a chord in Singaporeans from all walks of
life when The Sunday Times reported last week that he donated a
part of his liver to a stranger on the brink of death.
More than
60 readers commended him online and in e-mails to The Sunday Times,
and the story garnered more than 400 Likes on The Straits Times
Facebook page.
Two
organisations are honouring him, BBC World wants to interview him,
Dunman High students want to meet him for a project and a
dermatologist has offered help with his scar, free of
charge.
But,
perhaps most important of all, two adult children of liver failure
patients who are considering donating a part of their liver,
reached out to him for reassurance.
One of
them, primary school teacher Lee Siew Kiang, 35, will undergo
surgery tomorrow to donate a part of her liver to her father who
has liver cancer.
Mr Tong, 34, gave his gift of life to civil servant Toh Lai Keng,
43, in March in a nine-hour operation at the National University
Hospital. Both men are doing well.
The Government subsidised half the cost of the operation - as it
does for all transplant cases involving Singapore
citizens.
Mr Toh will pay Mr Tong's bills even in future for expenses related
to the surgery.
Mr Tong is the first living donor here to give a part of his liver
to someone with whom he has no blood or emotional
ties.
Ms Lee, the
eldest of four daughters, said she knew of Mr Tong through a common
friend and had exchanged text messages with him before his story
became public. At the time, her dad, retired electrician Lee Gin
Owin, 57, had reservations about the operation. Like any parent, he
worried for her health.
"But Ming
Ming's front-page photo, looking so healthy and happy, helped
reassure him," she said. "He is much less worried now."
Ms Lee said
she is aware of the risks of the operation and that her fate may
not be the same as Mr Tong's. "But he is a real inspiration. If he
can do this for a stranger, I can do it for my dad," she
said.
The Rotary Club of Singapore, meanwhile, contacted Mr Tong
yesterday to inform him that it is giving him a Good Samaritan
award, which includes a $1,000 cash prize and a
certificate.
Instituted
in 1998, the award recognises and encourages public spiritedness,
said chairman of the club's community service committee Ronald
Wong. "We just want to thank Mr Tong for his exemplary kindness,"
he said.
Meanwhile,
Allswell Trading, which represents energy drink Red Bull in
Singapore, has made Mr Tong a nominee in an ongoing campaign to
identify and honour "Real Singapore Heroes", said the company's
director Lam Pin Woon.
"Mr Tong's
act of kindness to a stranger is an inspiration to all Singaporeans
and exemplifies the true spirit of a real Singapore hero," said Mr
Lam.
Yesterday, the company presented him with $500 in cash and said it
plans to send Red Bull products worth another $500 to his
home.
Dozens of
readers too responded with warmth and admiration.
At the
straitstimes.com website, reader Tricia Lye called him "Light of
the World".
Another
said he was "the best thing to happen on our 48th National Day". A
third called him a "true son of Singapore".
Reader
Sabrina Wong e-mailed to say she wanted Mr Tong to know that "his
kindness not only touched the lives of Mr Toh and family, but also
touched the hearts of those of us who are kind but not half as
brave".
In a
separate note to Mr Tong, she said: "Just knowing that Singapore
has someone like you makes me feel proud."
The
bachelor at the centre of all this attention, meanwhile, lets on
that he received more than 100 Facebook friend requests after the
article. And although a tad "embarrassed" with the spotlight, he is
glad his story helped spread awareness of living-donor
transplants.
"Donors
must evaluate the risks for themselves," he said. "But if my story
can help save even a single life, I will be more than
happy."
