SINGAPORE \u2013 With the waiting list for dead donor kidney transplants<\/span><\/a> in Singapore at its highest in 10 years and the waiting time for an available organ averaging nine years, more living transplants are encouraged to ease the wait for patients.<\/p>\n The National Kidney Foundation (NKF) said on Oct 15 that it is working with partners such as hospitals to help patients with kidney failure learn about transplants earlier.<\/p>\n If patients decide with their doctors that this option is suitable for them, they can source for a living donor, and for some, they can even complete the transplant before having to start on dialysis, said A. Vathsala, director of the National University Hospital\u2019s (NUH) National University Centre for Organ Transplantation.<\/p>\n \u201cThis type of transplant, called pre-emptive transplant, is associated with higher success rates than those done after starting dialysis, and can allow the transplant to be planned with the patient and donor,\u201d Vathsala added.<\/p>\n In June 2026, there were 433 patients on the kidney transplant waiting list \u2013 an increase of more than 56% from 2016.<\/p>\n Terence Kee, director of Singapore General Hospital\u2019s (SGH) kidney transplantation programme, said living donor transplant is an option which \u201ccan offer better survival and quality of life, without the long wait for a deceased donor kidney\u201d.<\/p>\n Living donors are usually blood-related family members, but can also be non-blood-related<\/span><\/a>.<\/p>\n The first living donor kidney transplant performed in Singapore was in 1976 at SGH.<\/p>\n At an event on Oct 15 commemorating the 50th anniversary of that milestone, NKF said it is working with the National Organ Transplant Unit, NUH and SGH to have around 100 \u201ctransplant champions\u201d help medically suitable patients understand living donor kidney transplant as one of their treatment options.<\/p>\n The champions \u2013 including nurses, social workers, kidney donors and recipients \u2013 aim to help address the patients\u2019 initial questions and concerns, as well as connect interested patients and families with hospital transplant teams.<\/p>\n From 2016 to 2025, an average of about 81 kidney transplants were done each year.<\/p>\n Of these, about 35 kidneys were transplanted from dead donors, and 46 from living donors each year.<\/p>\n Tan Xin Yi, 31, who suffered from kidney failure in 2021 due to an autoimmune condition, received a kidney from Kelly Chua, her close friend since they were students at Ngee Ann Secondary School.<\/p>\n Tan said that after her mother passed away from cancer in December 2020, her own health deteriorated significantly.<\/p>\n She had initially attributed her symptoms such as breathlessness, swelling in her face, body and both legs, and lethargy to the grief and stress from her first job.<\/p>\n But when she had difficulty walking even a short distance between two Housing Board blocks, coupled with other symptoms, a general practitioner advised her to seek emergency care.<\/p>\n In February 2021, about a week after she was admitted to hospital, she was confirmed to have kidney failure.<\/p>\n The cause was the autoimmune condition known as antineutrophil cytoplasmic antibody-associated vasculitis.<\/p>\n Kidney dialysis served Tan well for a few years. But she eventually suffered from various complications such as recurrent infections and two bouts of pneumonia, one of which led to a 15-day hospitalisation.<\/p>\n When a transplant for Tan was discussed, her younger sister and two friends who were willing to donate were found to be unsuitable donors.<\/p>\n Her father was unable to donate as he had existing health conditions.<\/p>\n On Aug 28, 2025, Chua donated her left kidney to Tan.<\/p>\n Chua\u2019s husband had some concerns, but agreed for her to donate when Tan\u2019s medical problems mounted.<\/p>\n Chua, who works as an accountant and has no plans for children, said that the transplant has not affected her long-term health.<\/p>\n All she needs to do now is to go for regular checks and watch her diet, which she said is what everyone should do anyway.<\/p>\n Tan also had a smooth recovery, and is now on medications and supplements for life.<\/p>\n Kelly Chua (right) donated her left kidney to her close friend Tan Xin Yi.<\/p>\n PHOTO: COURTESY OF KELLY CHUA<\/p>\n<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n She is grateful to Chua for the donation, which has significantly improved her quality of life.<\/p>\n One recurring thought she used to have when she was mulling over a transplant is now far behind her: \u201cWho am I to deserve this kidney?\u201d<\/p>\n Separately, NKF is currently reviewing its Kidney Live Donor Support Fund, which supports 163 beneficiaries, with the aim of lightening the financial burden for donors and recipients.<\/p>\n The fund currently covers pre-transplant screening and evaluation costs, as well as the cost of annual health screenings and medical follow-ups ordered by transplant physicians in the public hospitals, among other expenses.<\/p>\n NKF reiterated that the support through the fund is intended to help defray costs, and does not constitute a payment or reward for donating a kidney.<\/p>\n Transport costs may also be covered in the future, as NKF\u2019s survey showed that both donors and recipients have to make frequent trips to the hospital for pre-transplant assessments, medical consultations and post-transplant follow-up care.<\/p>\n NKF chairman Ang Hao Yao said: \u201cA potential donor\u2019s decision must remain entirely voluntary, and choosing not to donate will not affect the care provided to the patient.\u201d<\/p>\n At the Oct 15 NKF event, MP for West Coast-Jurong West GRC Hamid Razak revealed that his younger sister, Badrun Nisa, had received a kidney from their mother in 2022.<\/p>\n (From left) Mariam Bee Bee with her children, MP for West Coast-Jurong West GRC Hamid Razak and Badrun Nisa, who received a kidney from her in 2022.<\/p>\n ST PHOTO: CHONG JUN LIANG<\/p>\n<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n Nisa shared with the audience that she started suffering symptoms in May 2021 when she was 34 years old, including weight loss, breathlessness and fatigue.<\/p>\n She was eventually diagnosed with kidney failure, though her doctors could not identify the cause or when the failure actually started.<\/p>\n Although she started on dialysis, transplant was the longer-term option.<\/p>\n After a few family members and a close friend were tested for suitability to donate a kidney to her, her mother turned out to be the most ideal candidate.<\/p>\n Nisa had misgivings at first \u2013 she was worried about the age of her mother, then 58 years old. \u201cI didn\u2019t want my chance at better health to come at the expense of hers,\u201d said Nisa.<\/p>\n After much consultation and discussion, the transplant was completed in November 2022.<\/p>\n Hamid, who is an orthopaedic surgeon, said: \u201cSeeing what kidney transplant has made possible for my sister is why I believe families should at least have the opportunity to understand the option, ask the difficult questions and make an informed decision together with their medical team.\u201d<\/p>\n<\/div>\n SINGAPORE \u2013 With the waiting list for dead donor kidney transplants in Singapore at its highest in 10 years and the waiting time for an…<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":93359,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"fifu_image_url":"","fifu_image_alt":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[2611],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-93358","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-buzz-headlines","wpcat-2611-id"],"brizy_media":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/sgbuzz.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/93358","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/sgbuzz.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/sgbuzz.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/sgbuzz.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/sgbuzz.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=93358"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/sgbuzz.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/93358\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/sgbuzz.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/media\/93359"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/sgbuzz.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=93358"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/sgbuzz.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=93358"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/sgbuzz.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=93358"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}\u2018Who am I to deserve this kidney?\u2019<\/h2>\n
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Review of funding support for donors and recipients<\/h2>\n
MP Hamid Razak\u2019s sister received kidney from mother<\/h2>\n
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