The Zheng family of four happily cut a cake to celebrate the new life of little Huixin, may she grow up into a healthy and grateful person who will remember to reciprocate to the society. (Photo: Yong Keah Pei)
An 18-month-old baby girl from Malaysia, Zheng Huixin, had been diagnosed to suffer from congenital biliary atresia shortly after birth. Fortunately, her father had decided to donate one third of his liver to her and on 23 June 2012, a liver transplant was conducted successfully on her at the NUH.
For three months, the Zheng family travelled to and fro between Singapore and Malaysia as they sought medical treatments for their daughter, and their endeavour to give Huixin a new life was made possible with the generous donations from the public and the support and company of Tzu Chi volunteers. The Zheng couple was full of gratitude as they shared, “We have built strong friendship with the volunteers over the last few months. Whenever we take our daughter to Singapore for her regular medical checkups, we still meet with them like a family; and it really warms our heart.”
Great love knows no national boundaries
In mid-May 2012, Huixin’s case was referred to our Foundation by the Tzu Chi Selangor and KL branch. When our home visit team visited the family for the first time on 31 May 2012, little Huixin was weak and thin, her eyes were lifeless and her skin looked greenish. The volunteers couldn’t help feel sorry and sad for her.
Little Huixin was born with congenital liver and gall bladder defects, and hence her body couldn’t detoxify itself. She underwent an operation shortly after she was born, but after that her liver started to harden and fluid started to accumulate in her abdomen, making it impossible for her to turn her body, crawl and stand like other kids.
With the assistance of a Malaysian press and the general public, the Zheng family managed to send their daughter to Singapore to seek medical treatment. During the first meeting, the Zheng couple indicated to our home visit team, “Even if the operation fails, we will have no regrets as we have tried our best.”
Seeing that the couple were helpless and worried, the volunteers shared with them how Master Cheng Yen, before she renounced lay life, took a vow to adopt a vegetarian diet to transfer blessings to her mother who was critically ill. “The Master’s sincerity and filial piety did wonder and her mother recovered from her illness in the end.” Sister Zeng Jin Er encouraged the couple, “Parents have to harbour well wishes for the children. So long as you are sincere about it, the unthinkable can happen.”
Her reassurance brought much peace of mind to the couple.
An uncertain prognosis
Before the operation was finally carried out on 23 June, it was deferred twice as little Huixin had been suffering from multiple bone fractures due to nutrient deficiency, pulmonary edema and breathing problems. Her conditions became unpredictable and being new to Singapore, the family of four couldn’t help feel troubled and anxious.
On 23 June, after a 15-hour operation, little Huixin has a new life with her father’s liver in her body. In the afternoon of the 25th, our home visit team visited her in the hospital, presenting an auspicious hanging ornament and conveying their well wishes to her. The volunteers were warmly received by Huixin’s mother, Xu Xiangling.
Mr Zheng’s sister from Kuala Lumpur also visited the family to express her care and concern. Upon meeting the Tzu Chi volunteers, she immediately warmed up to them like an old friend and expressed her gratitude to them for treating her brother and his family like their own family members.
Though the operation was successful, little Huixin's conditions was not stable as organ rejection had occurred a few times, much to the anguish of the parents. While keeping her child company at the hospital, the mental stress proved too much for the mother to take that she suffered from insomnia and needed to rely on medication to control her emotions.
Sisters Judy Lo and Hsu Hsueh Yu also spent time with her at the hospital to lend their support, assuring the mother that Huixin’s body is trying to adapt to the transplant, hence it is normal that her conditions are unstable. When Huixin was later transferred from the Intensive Care Unit to an isolation ward, she failed to recognize her mother due to fright. Mrs Zheng was full of anxieties and felt very sorry for her daughter; she eventually had a nervous breakdown and burst into tears. Being by her side, Sister Lo tenderly calmed her down by sharing that her own child had gone through similar experiences in the past.
Comfort through companionship
When volunteers from the South district were helping out at the hospital, those from the North were busy resolving lodging problem for the Zhengs. Due to the deferment of Huixin’s operation, the family’s short term lease of accommodation had expired and the volunteers quickly set out to look for more appropriate housing to ease their mind.
On 1 July, nine volunteers from the North district got together to clean up the new accommodation for the family. They wanted to get ready a place that is conducive for Mr Zheng and little Huixin to recover as they would soon be discharged from the hospital. The third sister of Mr Zheng, who only arrived in Singapore from Malaysia that early morning, went with the volunteers to the new place of accommodation. She saw how enthusiastic the volunteers were in moving and cleaning the house (including washing the curtain and sofa covers) that she forgot about her lethargy from taking night transportation and joined the volunteers in their cleaning spree.
She later confided with her sister-in-law, “My back is aching now from a day’s long cleaning, but then I too wanted to do my part upon seeing how helpful the volunteers were despite not being part of our family.”
After the operation, relatives of the Zheng family took turn to look after the family. An aunt of Mrs Zheng, after having interacted with the volunteers, marvelled at the unconditional assistance offered by the Tzu Chi people as “they were even more attentive than relatives would”. Also a Tzu Chi donating member, the aunt took a vow, “When I return to Malaysia, I will participate in Tzu Chi’s voluntary work in addition to just making donations.”
Celebration of a new life
Little Huixin went through a roller coaster of recovery, with her liver in necrosis at one point in time. Fortunately, her conditions improved from rejection to acceptance of the new organ under the care of the hospital staff. Although it was painful to see little Huixin take more than 10 types of medicine every day, the medicine had made her appetite grow – she used to drink milk in the past and now she could eat a full bowl of porridge, making her grow stronger and bigger.
On 18 July, little Huixin was finally discharged from the hospital. Mr Zheng was also making a steady recovery. Due to the volunteers’ frequent visits, the child can now recognize our signature blue-and-white uniform!
On 22 August, the Zheng family arrived in our branch office for a visit. The volunteers put in much effort to prepare a birthday cake and a series of photos of what the family had gone through. With the poignant scenes flashing across the screen, all were reminded of the touching moments – house cleaning, home visits, preparation of vegetarian dishes for the post-operation gathering...the parents were moved to tears upon seeing how their daughter has grown stronger and healthier from day to day within three months.
An emotional Mrs Zheng shared, “My sincere gratitude to the Tzu Chi people for the fond memories they have given us, though it was tormenting being at the hospital, it did allow us to get to know Tzu Chi and realize that there is warmth in this world!”
In high spirits and started to learn talking, the 18-month-old little Huixin is now completely different from her previous self. Mrs Zheng thus made a wish, “I hope that my daughter will learn in future that not everyone is born perfect into this world, may she also learn how to cherish her life and offer her help to the needy.”
Zheng Huixin, who hails from Malaysia, was born with congenital biliary atresia. Fortunately, with the generous donations from the public and the care and company of Tzu Chi volunteers, a liver transplant was carried out successfully on her in June. (Photo: Judy Lo)
After 15 hours in the operating theatre, little Huixin began a new life after receiving one third of his father’s liver through a transplant. After the operation, her family members and Tzu Chi volunteers continue to offer her their care and support to the father. (Photo provided by Xu Xiang Ling)
Due to the deferment of little Huixin’s operation, the lease of the family’s short term accommodation had expired and volunteers from the North district earnestly helped to solve the housing problem for the family. The family subsequently moved to a new place on 7 July. (Photo: Phay Ley Leng)
Treating the Malaysians as their own family members, volunteers took pains to take care of the Zheng family in every aspect during their stay in Singapore. (Photo: Phay Ley Leng)
On 12 August, Tzu Chi volunteers personally prepared delectable dishes for a joyous feast for the Zheng family. (Photo: Zeng Mei Lian)
On 22 August, before their departure for Malaysia, Tzu Chi volunteers invited the Zheng family to visit Jing Si Hall to learn more about Tzu Chi. (Photo: Yong Keah Pei)
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