A Special Tribute to Sabahan Donors

May 2008,

Hundreds of transplantable organs are buried or cremated every day ....... because the families of those who had died either were not willing, did not know or did not pay much attention to organ donation.

Benign neglect or “tidak apa” attitude is a great obstruction to finding organs to save lives. For most people, interest usually only start when they know of someone who needs an organ.

One family in Sabah however did understand the true meaning of giving, of sharing the life of their loved one with others. Sixteen month old Fabian Chin succumbed to brain death on 12th May 2008 from an accident. In the midst of their deepest grief, Fiona Heng and Felix Chin, and other members of the Chin, Heng, Evaristus and Voon clan opened their hearts and minds to organ and tissue donation.

They never wavered from it. Fabian became the youngest organ and tissue donor in Malaysia when he donated kidneys, eyes and heart for valves. I was deeply touched by their sacrifice, and at some of my encounters with them, my eyes were misty with tears.

Not so long ago, a three-month-old boy baby, Muhammad Hamdan from Brunei, who had blank white eyes due to corneal deformity, could miraculously see after a corneal transplant in Singapore. The corneas were donated by a two-month-old American baby who suffered cot death in Florida. Muhamad's father, Hamdan Haji Kassim, appealed to parents all over the world to be like the parents of the American baby.

Here in Sabah, we too have such modern day heroes. Fiona and Felix were very strong. They chose to save lives without swords and guns. Fabian’s death from an accident is not the end of his life. The unselfishness and courage of the donor family in giving new life to people in need is an example for all to follow.

Sometimes babies are born with a defect of their heart valves which would soon after kill them, unless they are replaced with donor heart valves. More than six children would be very blessed to receive Fabian’s donations, and be able to do what other children do; savour life and sight to the full and not just live in the gloom.

Every year, many people die waiting for organ transplants. Some die because dialysis facilities are not sufficient to meet the demand. The luckier ones, however, have their lives dominated by the burden of dialysis.

For the rest of us who continue to live on healthily, as a show of gratitude, let us pledge not just to donate our organs and tissues, but to donate to the Organ and Tissue Donation Programme, simply by sharing with others about it, and helping them consider it seriously.  Fabian’s doctor, Liaw Yun Haw, Consultant Paediatrician, did just that. He really is a donor too.

Organ donation is everyone’s business because everyone is a potential organ recipient, as well as a potential organ donor. If you would say yes to accepting an organ, then you should be able to say yes to donating an organ.

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