Parents who lost daughter in 2015 will hear her heart beat

SINGAPORE: It has been two years since Mark Kok Wah, 46, and his wife Ariess Tan, 43, received life-changing and devastating news that their 18-year-old daughter, Carmen, who was studying in Singapore had died.

Recently, the Malaysian couple received more life-changing news: They were going to get the chance to hear their dead daughter’s heart beat again.

On Aug 4 this year, Serene Lee, 37, messaged Mark on Facebook, introducing herself as the beneficiary of his daughter’s heart, and that she was keen to go to Penang to visit them.

The reunion will take place in Penang on Friday, and The Straits Times will be making the emotional journey to the state with Lee, a Singaporean who now volunteers at the patient support group at the National Heart Centre Singapore to help patients waiting for heart transplants.

Prior to receiving Carmen’s heart, Lee, who is married with three children aged between seven and 14, had no heartbeat of her own.

Her heart was fully powered instead by a mechanical pump that ran on a set of external batteries that has to be recharged every 12 hours.

Lee suffered from dilated cardiomyopathy, a disease of the heart muscle which causes a weakening of the heart such that it is unable to pump blood efficiently. This condition often leads to heart failure.

Said Lee: “I will treasure this heart and live life to the fullest. I’m grateful to Mr Mark ... as he could have chosen to say no. Now, I want to carry on Carmen’s legacy and promote organ donation together with her parents.”

Mark and Lee said they are coming forward with their stories to raise awareness about organ donation in this part of the world, so more lives can be saved and that Carmen’s legacy can be continued.

“I hope that by coming forward, it can create impact and change people’s mindsets about the gift of life. The taboo among Asians on organ donation is hindering many lives from being saved,” said Mark. — The Straits Times/Asia News Network