Punggol East MP Charles Chong in recovery after undergoing liver transplant
By
Neo Chai Chin
Published: 9:02 PM, December 20, 2016
Updated: 12:32 PM, December 21, 2016
SINGAPORE — People’s Action Party (PAP) Member of Parliament Charles Chong, 63, received part of his son’s liver in a transplant earlier this month, he told the media in response to queries on Tuesday (Dec 20).
On Dec 1, the PAP had announced that Mr Chong, who is the MP for Punggol East, had undergone a planned medical procedure and would be on eight weeks’ medical leave, but provided no further details.
Mr Chong said there was no immediate need for him to have a liver transplant as his liver was still functioning well, about three years after he was first diagnosed with a condition called non-alcoholic steatohepatitis during a routine medical check-up. But his doctors found “a couple of small lesions” on his liver and had advised that he should consider a transplant now while he was still in good health.
It was the best option for the long term, they had told him. His two sons volunteered to be donors but it was Mr Chong’s younger son, Glenn, who was found to be the better match, he said.
He was discharged from hospital last Wednesday. Since the operation, the recovery process has been good despite “a lot of pain” at first, said Mr Chong.
“I’m much better now but because I’m on immunosuppressants to allow my body to get used to the new liver, I need to be careful about ensuring that I don’t pick up any sort of illness while my immunity is low,” he added.
He has regular follow-up blood tests and liver function tests, and hopes to be cleared after eight weeks’ medical leave by doctors to resume his activities in Punggol East. “It’s still early days, so hopefully I will make good progress with my recovery in the next few weeks,” he said in his email response to the media.
Mr Chong, a veteran MP who is also Deputy Speaker of Parliament, said his liver condition had not impacted his personal life, work or political and grassroots activities, although his doctors had monitored it closely.
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http://www.todayonline.com/singapore...ver-transplant
I wonder if he is fit to be able to discharge his duties as MP ???