Docs pledge to donate organs

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IN a bid to convey to the public on the importance of donating organs to save life, six doctors have pledged to donate theirs.

The six who attended an organ donation awareness course at the Bukit Mertajam Hospital in Seberang Prai signed up during the event.

More than 50 staff members of hospitals in Bukit Mertajam, Penang, Seberang Jaya, Sungai Bakap and Kepala Batas attended the one-day event held at the Bukit Mertajam Hospital on Monday.

Bukit Mertajam Hospital director Dr Teo Gim Sian said the aim of the course was to equip the medical staff with sufficient knowledge on organ donation for them to educate the public.

New lease of life: Organ recipients (from left) Yusri and Ng sharing light moment with Dr Teo during the organ donation campaign at the Bukit Mertajam Hospital

“So far, 446 have pledged to donate their organs at the hospital compared with 385 last year and 150 in 2009,” she said.

Dr Teo also presented certificates to family members of late donors and recipients during the event.

Seberang Jaya Hospital neurologist Dr Irene Looi, Dr Goh Heong Keong, a nephrologist from the same hospital and opthalmologist from Bukit Mertajam Hospital, palliative treatment specialist Dr Ong Eng Eng from the Penang Hospital were the speakers at the event.

Ustaz Mahizan Mat Lazim spoke on organ donation from the perspective of Islam.

Housewife Ng Eng Wah, 48, said she now leads a normal life after successfully undergoing a kidney transplant in 1998 when both her kidneys failed.

“I am thankful to the donor as the donor gave me a new lease of life.

“Now, I attend line dancing twice a week and I dance for about three hours a session,” said Ng, a mother of four children aged 26, 23, 20 and 18.

Another organ recipient Yusri Yusop, 43, said he received dialysis treatment from 1998 until 2009 after both his kidneys failed.

He then underwent a kidney transplant operation at the Selayang Hospital in August 2009.

The father of three said he encouraged his relatives and friends to donate their organs.