75-year-old grandma is Singapore's oldest living organ
donor
SINGAPORE: A 75-year-old grandmother has become
Singapore's oldest living organ donor. Madam Chee Leng Yin donated
one of her kidneys to save her seriously-ill daughter.
They say nothing is stronger than the bond between a
mother and her daughter.
When Madam Chee found out that she could save her
daughter's life by donating a kidney to her, she didn't think
twice.
She said: "It's my kidney, it's my daughter, who can stop me? Once
I've decided, no one can stop me."
46-year-old Shirley Lau suffered from end-stage kidney failure and
needed a kidney transplant to lead a normal life.
Even so, she had reservations about her mother's sacrifice.
She said: "The feeling is quite complicated because in a way I'm
worried, but in a way it is a solution for me. They (the doctors)
went through a lot of tests. So based on that fact, we were more
assured."
Months after the surgery at the Singapore General Hospital (SGH) in
July, both mother and daughter are doing well.
Doctors say being too old to donate is a common misconception about
organ donation.
Evidence suggests that older healthy donors are not at a higher
risk of surgical complications compared to younger donors.
So more older living donors above the age of 60 could be considered
for surgery, if they are found to be mentally and psychologically
suitable.
Doctors say that on average, the age difference between an older
living donor and the recipient should be 10 to 20 years.
But in Madam Chee and Shirley's case, their age difference of
nearly 30 years is an exception.
Dr Terence Kee, a consultant at SGH's Department of Renal Medicine,
said: "There was special consideration, based on the fact that
Shirley's mum's kidney function is far beyond average expectation
and also the fact that Shirley is a much smaller person who would
benefit from receiving her mother's kidney, which is much more
bigger in size."
Studies have shown that the survival rate of up to five years is
the same for all patients who receive kidneys from living donors,
irrespective of whether the donors are young or old.
In contrast, kidney patients who are on dialysis have a lower
survival rate.
About 1,000 people in Singapore suffer from kidney failure every
year. At present, over 500 people are on the waiting list for a
kidney.
SGH carried out 10 living kidney transplants last year.
- CNA/ir