In 2015, Tew and Pang Jinghui met while working as audio engineers at a company in Singapore. They shared an interest in music and quickly became close. Pang later invited Tew, a Malaysian who had recently moved to Singapore and was living alone, to spend the winter solstice with his family.
Although they later changed jobs, the two remained in contact. Tew noticed Pang’s health declining over time. Between 2017 and 2021, Pang’s kidney function dropped from 50% to below 40%, forcing him to undergo intensive treatment, take steroids and cope with symptoms such as mood changes, nausea and swelling, according to the Straits Times.
Pang had lived with chronic kidney disease since his teenage years. At 18, during a pre-enlistment medical check, he was found to have IgA nephropathy, an autoimmune kidney disorder. For many years, his condition was kept under control and caused few symptoms, but over time it gradually worsened.
“I knew the time would come when I would need a transplant. Finally, it was time to face reality,” Pang said.
He was unable to find a compatible kidney among family members as donors are required to have healthy kidney function, compatibility in blood type and tissue and no health conditions such as hypertension, diabetes or inherited kidney disease. When no family member qualified, he began seeking a non-related donor.
In 2020, Pang contacted Tew to ask if he would consider donating a kidney, and Tew agreed. “I had lost a sister to leukemia, so I could understand how Jinghui’s family must be feeling and I wanted to help,” Tew said.
Just before surgery, Tew received a call from his wife informing him that she was pregnant. He hesitated briefly but decided to proceed with the donation.
The donated kidney began functioning almost immediately after the operation, and Pang’s swelling went away. Doctor Adrian Liew of Mount Elizabeth Hospital said both men were in good health, with stable kidney function and able to resume normal activities.
After the transplant, both families welcomed new children. Tew now has two daughters aged four and two, while Pang had a child two years after the surgery. The two families remain close since, regularly visiting one another and letting their children spend time together.
“You never know who in your life that you cross paths with will become like a brother to you. I am very touched by what he did for me,” Pang said.
Comments are closed.