Sister Donates Cord Blood and Bone Marrow to Siblings
By Chow Ee-Tan
The Malay Mail
August 31, 2002
SIBLINGS Liew Zhen Hui, five, and Zi Ying, three, who suffer from thalassaemia since birth, need help to lead normal lives.
Thanks to their youngest sister who is healthy, a medical report has indicated she has matching bone marrow which is suitable to Zhen Hui, while Zi Ying will receive her cord blood. Zhen Hui and Zi Ying need a total of RM100,000 for their bone marrow and cord blood transplants, which cost RM40,000 and RM60,000 respectively.
Thalassaemia is a genetic blood disease which causes the body to produce unhealthy red blood cells.
Zhen Hui and Zi Ying had been undergoing regular blood transfusions since the ages of three and six months respectively. Each session costs them RM800 monthly.
The blood transfusions were carried out in the Kuala Lumpur Hospital while their medical check-ups were at Universiti Malaya Medical Centre.
For the transplants scheduled in October, their mother, Yong Lee Har, an accountant, needs to stay in hospital for three months to look after her children and thus, she has to resign from her job.
Father Liew Yoon Choy, 40, is an air-condition technician, and his salary is insufficient to cover the medical fees.
A charity auction raised RM37,900, the MCA public service and complaint department donated RM10,000, while Transport Ministry parliamentary secretary Donald Lim donated RM2,000.
Those who would like to donate to Zhen Hui and Zi Ying could write a cheque to Yong Lee Har and post it to c/o Michael Chong, 7th floor, Wisma MCA, 163 Jalan Ampang, 50450 Kuala Lumpur, or call * 03-21618044.
