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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