Kumaran S/O Sesshe

Due to work commitments, my father had to work late and often neglected his health. He was first diagnosed with liver cirrhosis and hepatocellular carcinoma (liver cancer) in 2013, which worsened in 2015. Without a liver transplant, it was likely that the cancer would spread.

I was keen to donate my liver to help my father, but I had many friends urging me not to do so. I got their point. I would be subjecting myself to risks of surgery to help my father. I was not sick, and I did not need that surgery to live. Moreover, my wife had just delivered a new addition to my family. Going for the surgery meant that I would be putting my entire family at risk. My dad's life, however, depended on that surgery.

I had thus decided that I should proceed to be an organ donor and went for all the evaluations and preparations for the transplant. Although I had told my wife about going ahead with the transplant, it was not discussed in great detail at home. At the meeting with the social worker, it became clear to my wife that the transplant was really going ahead. It was then that I realised that I should have involved my wife much earlier. It was only fair to her that we talk about organ donation as a family.

It has been two years since the transplant. I can sleep soundly at night, knowing that I am a life-saving hero, and I can be a role model to my children on the precious values of sacrifice and love.

Read more about Singapore Kindness Movement's coverage on Kumaran here: https://pride.kindness.sg/would-you-sacrifice-an-organ-for-a-loved-one-they-did-with-no-regrets/ ↗ (opens in new tab)