A Malaysian man has donated 67 per cent of his liver to his teacher that he ‘hated’ while he was a student. Jerome Chin, a medical graduate, donated a big part his liver to his former primary school teacher Leong Fong Peng.
The Star which first reported on this unusual human organ donation said Leong often disciplined Chin (who is 25-years-old) in the past as he was “not one of her best students”.
“She took her cane everywhere and used to discipline me quite a lot,” Chin said, recounting the time when he was taught by Leong in a school in Kuantan from 2003-2004. Chin later realized that Leong was probably strict towards her students because of her affection and concern for them.
The Star said that Chin found out about Leong’s medical condition in July from her daughter Krystal Teh. Teh was also his primary school friend. Eight other donors who came forward to help Leong were found to be unsuitable. This was when Chin told Teh that he was willing to be a donor.
Chin said his father had reservations about his decision but relented after Chin persuaded him with his medical knowledge. Chin said he recovered from a brief spell of jaundice after the surgery and expects his liver to regrow fully in three months.
Chin who studied medicine in China and graduating in 2017insisted he was not a hero. “I was just the right person at the right place at the right time, I have done what I could,” he said modestly.
Leong was readmitted to a hospital in Singapore after her transplant surgery on Sept 6 as she coughed up blood. The family has chalked up a huge medical bill after being readmitted to the hospital and is appealing to the public for donation. Nirvana Foundation has stepped in with a $24,000 donation, but that would only cover a quarter of the medical expenditure for Leong.