'Racing against time': Strangers offer to donate liver to save 45-year-old Singaporean man but not all are suitable

It's a race against time.

On Dec 12, 45-year-old Desmond Lee experienced bouts of vomiting and diarrhoea, and finally saw a doctor 10 days later, thinking it was simply a viral infection.

However, the Singaporean technician was unexpectedly given the grave diagnosis of acute liver failure, Shin Min Daily News reported.

Speaking to the Chinese evening daily, his wife, Jacqueline Huang, 38, stated that Lee continued working despite feeling unwell, but his appetite was affected.

Following a battery of tests at Sengkang Hospital on Dec 22, doctors found that the liver failure was caused by a viral infection due to his pre-existing Hepatitis B condition.

He was transferred to Singapore General Hospital on Christmas Eve but fell into a semi-coma the next day, Huang shared. He was unable to recognise family members and became easily agitated.

Doctors told Huang that Lee's condition was critical and he needs a liver donor as soon as possible, Shin Min reported.

"To prevent his condition from worsening, he was heavily sedated and transferred to the ICU," said Huang. The couple have two daughters, aged four and seven.

While initially hesitant for their kids to see their dad in his current state, Huang brought them to the hospital yesterday (Dec 29).

"As they are still young, I think they couldn't fully understand his situation, but they asked a lot of questions, like 'Why does daddy have a lot of tubes connected to him, when is he waking up'," Huang told AsiaOne today.

For now, the main focus is still to find a living donor and a match for Lee. But it's been an uphill task.

"Everything happened too quickly… we are racing against time due to his critical condition and we've also exhausted all means," said Huang.

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Although three strangers had initially stepped forward to help, the situation reached a stalemate as two of the willing donors were deemed unsuitable. The third has yet to decide if they would be proceeding with the initial blood test required, Huang shared.

She added: "While there are willing parties, they have a lot of considerations due to family and work commitments and others, such as post-op recovery."

"We are quite helpless, only hoping for [more] living donors to come forth."

A post online by Huang and other friends states that donors would need to have type O blood and between 18 and 50 years of age, with "no major health concerns or history of cancer", and "preferably no major past surgical history".

Huang, a manager, has also been feeling stretched from juggling caring for Lee, their children, as well as with work.

Said Huang: "Every day after work I'd go to the hospital to visit my husband and play his favourite songs and show him our daughters' drawings. Hopefully they can touch him and help him pull through."

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candicecai@asiaone.com