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PUBLISHED: Mar 13, 2015 04:32pm

UPDATED: Mar 13, 2015 05:07pm

TRP Cares: Reborn! A new lease of life

for kidney patient (video)

Lee Chen Hoe showing 'Wai Tan Kung' an exercise that he has been practising for

more than 22 years. — TRP pic by Kenneth Wan

FIFTY-SEVEN-YEAR-OLD Lee Chen Hoe used to suffer from

glomerulonephritis — a kidney disease caused by inflammation of the veins.

Though he underwent a successful kidney transplant, Lee’s first brush with the

diagnosis and the first five years of his life as a sufferer of the kidney disease is

still fresh in his mind.

It all started after he got back from a course in Sweden at the age of 33.

The doctor who examined him at that time was perplexed as to how Lee developed

glomerulonephritis. The cause is still unclear.

Lee did not and still doesn’t have unhealthy habits such as alcohol drinking or poor

nutrition and eating pattern, nor is he a smoker.

The diagnosis required him to undergo dialysis treatments in order to survive.

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For the first four months after the diagnosis, Lee was feeling suicidal as a result of

his depression.

But he wanted to see his twin daughters complete their higher education so badly.

Aided by moral support from his daughters, wife and his parents, Lee managed to

get back on track to deal with the disease positively.

The 19-year-old scar of Lee’s Peritoneal Dialysis reminds him of his new lease of

life everytime. — TRP pic by Kenneth Wan

He chose to go for the Peritoneal Dialysis treatment which he can administer on his

own and thus gives him more freedom.

As a wage-earner, Lee’s schedule was somewhat disrupted for five years due to the

treatment’s side effects.

For example, the treatment caused a fluid build-up in his lungs which resulted in

poor sleep as he could only sleep upright.

To make things worse, he had to wake up at 6.30am to drive to the factory where

he works, which is 60km away.

Lee often stopped along the way to rest for about 10 to 20 minutes in order to

revive himself from the lack of sleep.

After five years of coping with the disease, a government hospital informed him

that Lee is a suitable recipient of a kidney from a brain-dead American working in

Malaysia.

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Lee considered himself a lucky man as some kidney patients wait more than 10

years for a donor organ and are often unsuccessful in getting any suitable donor.

Lee Chen Hoe looks at his family picture and reflects how his daughters brought

him out of his misery. — TRP pic by Kenneth Wan

At the age of 40, Lee did his master’s degree in business management at a local

university.

He then decided to start his own management consultancy and training services at

50 to give himself more free time to do charity work and raise public awareness on

organ donation by giving talks and counselling kidney patients.

Although people rarely pay attention to him when conducting the awareness

campaign, Lee continues to show passion for this mission after getting a new lease

of life.

An estimated 33,000 people are undergoing dialysis treatment, and 18,000 of them

are waiting for kidney transplants.

However, there are only 50 cases of brain-dead patients who are willing to donate

their organs.

He says some youngsters do pledge their organs but their parents will not agree to

it but there are also parents who encourage their children to pledge their organs and

such people really motivate Lee to carry on doing what he does.

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“I hope more Malaysians can register as an organ donor. Organ donations can help

save lives and provide relief to those suffering from major ailments,” says Lee.

Nowadays, Lee takes care of his health by exercising and maintaining a super-

healthy diet — consisting of an apple, kiwi and one bowl of oat for breakfast, and

another apple for dinner.

For more information on organ donation, kidney care and support visit the

Malaysian Society of Transplantation website

at www.mst.org.my or www.nkf.org.my

The Rakyat Post team dedicates the following video in conjunction with World

Kidney Day that falls on the second Tuesday of March annually

Read more: http://www.therakyatpost.com/life/living-life/2015/03/13/trp-cares-

reborn-a-new-lease-of-life-for-kidney-patient-video/#ixzz3V5tR0ncn