A Malaysian man went to extraordinary lengths to save his mother’s life by chartering a medical flight to Singapore during the Covid-19 pandemic so he could donate part of his liver to her — a decision that cost over S$300,000 (approx RM986k) and took less than 48 hours from arrival to surgery.
Diagnosed with life-threatening liver failure
Ye Baolian (transliteration), a 68-year-old woman from Malaysia, was diagnosed with Hepatitis B and acute-on-chronic liver failure (ACLF) in 2021.
Her condition deteriorated rapidly and required an urgent liver transplant.
Speaking to Shin Min Daily News & 8world News, she shared that the private hospital where she was first diagnosed lacked transplant facilities.
The family was unable to secure a suitable medical team locally, and public hospitals were overwhelmed by Covid-related cases.
Son sought help across the border
Her son, Dai Baishan (transliteration), now 40, reached out to his medical network and was referred to several doctors in Singapore.
Within two weeks, he was connected to Associate Professor Alfred Kow Wei Chieh, a senior consultant at National University Hospital (NUH).
Prof Kow told Dai that if he were the donor, the transplant had a 99.9% success rate, and Ye’s one-year survival rate could be as high as 85%.
Borders closed, but urgency pushed action
Due to strict border controls in 2021, Dai had to charter a private medical plane from Kuala Lumpur to Singapore.
The journey included his brother (a caregiver), stepbrother (a backup donor), and his mother.
Approval was granted by Singapore’s Ministry of Health.
Surgery completed within 24 hours
Upon arrival, NUH’s National University Centre for Organ Transplantation (NUCOT) rushed to complete Dai’s donor evaluation — a process that typically takes weeks — in a matter of hours.
Within 24 hours, Dai underwent surgery and donated approximately 60% of his liver to his mother.
From landing in Singapore to completing the transplant, the entire process took less than 48 hours.
Successful recovery and new lease on life
Ye remained hospitalised in Singapore for two months before returning home to continue her recovery.
Within a year, she regained full mobility and could resume her daily activities. Now 72, Ye enjoys cooking, morning exercises, playing mahjong, and spending time with her grandchildren.
She recalled her son reassuring her before the surgery, saying: “He told me there was no risk, so I trusted him.”
I’m very grateful to all the doctors, nurses, and especially my son,” she said.
An act of love that cost over S$300,000
Dai shared that the total cost of the operation, including the medical flight, came to more than S$300,000 (approx. RM986k).
Since 1990, NUCOT has performed 519 liver transplants, with 254 from living donors.
The centre also reported that 63 patients were on the liver transplant waiting list in 2024 — eight more than the previous year — reflecting the growing demand for such procedures.
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