Singapore dad with cancer comes home from hospital every day to hide illness from daughter

A father of a 7-year-old child is in urgent need of a liver transplant, after he got diagnosed with liver cancer in Singapore.

Keith Lim Kwan Ming, who does not smoke or drink, was diagnosed with liver cancer in March 2018. Apparently, his cancer recurred after radio and chemotherapy. In December, he was informed that he would have to undergo a liver transplant.

His little child is unaware of her father's illness, so this Singapore dad comes home from hospital every day, just so that his daughter does not get worried.

The case was first highlighted in Chinese daily Lianhe Wanbao.

Calls were made for a donor, after Keith's family and friends were found to be unfit for donation.

Seven readers have so far, offered to donate their liver. However, it is unknown whether the family has found a suitable match yet.

Husband Chen Jun Wen, 40, and wife, Li Tian Jin, 41, came forward because they thoroughly empathised with the family. They have a 7-year-old child too.

“Their child is the same age as ours, and we don’t wish to see her lose her father. If either my wife or myself are suitable donors, we’ll be willing to donate our liver", Chen told Lianhe Wanbao.

Meanwhile, those who wish to donate their liver to Keith should:

• Be between 21 to 55 years old
• Have O+ blood type
• Be healthy and weigh above 70 kg (the recipient apparently weighs 87 kg)

If you wish to help, please contact Lianhe Wanbao at 92288736. You may also contact Ms Elaine See at 9661 8750.

Here is a Facebook post about Keith's condition:

Liver cancer is a disease in which harmful cancer cells develop in the tissues of the liver.

According to the American Cancer Society and the Cancer Journal for Clinicians, men are 2 – 3 times more likely to suffer from liver cancer than women. In Singapore, liver cancer is the 4th most common cancer for men, as reported by the Singapore Cancer Society.

The 3 main risk factors for developing primary liver cancer are chronic hepatitis B infection, chronic hepatitis C infection and high alcohol consumption.

Other less common risk factors include diabetes, aflatoxin, inherited conditions and any cause of cirrhosis (scarring of the liver).

Most people don't have signs and symptoms in the early stages of primary liver cancer. When signs and symptoms do appear, they may include:

• Losing weight without trying
• Loss of appetite
• Upper abdominal pain
• Nausea and vomiting
• General weakness and fatigue
• Abdominal swelling
• Yellow discoloration of your skin and the whites of your eyes (jaundice)
• White, chalky stools

You can protect yourself against liver cancer by:

• Vaccinating against the Hepatitis B virus
• Avoid drinking too much alcohol, which causes alcoholic fatty liver disease – a disease that can develop into liver cancer
• Maintain a healthy weight
• Avoid eating heavy meat and animal fat, and mouldy peanuts and grains
• Go for regular screenings if you are part of the high-risk group

Also READ: Singapore mum who donated liver to dying baby was scared she would never see her own child again

(Source: Lianhe Wanbao, Gleneagles hospital, MayoClinic)