Wee Li Wen Leanna, 15

School: CHIJ Secondary

Topic: Letter to a friend suffering from kidney failure

Award: Distinction, Senior Category, 2021

Dear Jason,

How are you feeling? I hope you are doing well. I know that yesterday may have been a lot to handle and I really am sorry about the news. While this may be a tough time for you right now, please do not lose hope! Things are sure to get better, and just know that I will be here to support you every step of the way. After your doctor’s consultation yesterday, I went home and decided to do some research on your two treatment options in order to try and be of some help. I do have my own opinions on which treatment you should go for, but first here are some things that I have found about them.

I remember the doctor mentioning yesterday that one option of treatment you could go for is kidney dialysis, a process that does the job of your kidneys by filtering and purifying your blood using a machine. There are two different types of dialysis- hemodialysis and peritoneal dialysis. Hemodialysis is the most common type of dialysis that people would normally go for. Each hemodialysis treatment normally lasts four hours and would be done three times a week, and you would have to either go to a hospital, a dialysis unit or stay at home for the treatment to take place. This means that should you decide on this method of treatment, you would have to be prepared to manage your time well as this would take up much of your time. You may also need to be on a special diet and limit how much you drink per day. The good thing about this treatment option is that you would be able to start immediately. Dialysis would also help to make you feel better, alleviating any discomfort you may normally experience. In fact, apart from the time needed for the treatments, many dialysis patients are still able to live normal lives. Although you may experience some discomfort in the beginning, you will get used to it over time.

The other treatment option that you have is to have a kidney transplant. You may get a kidney donation from someone in your family, someone who is deceased or even a complete stranger. However, the blood and tissue type of your kidney donor must be compatible with yours and they must also be in good physical and mental health. Otherwise, they will be unable to donate to you. Some people may even be unable to donate their kidneys due to medical conditions they may have, such as diabetes and hepatitis. This means that, unless someone in your family is compatible, the waiting time for a suitable organ donor can be as long as nine years in Singapore, and you will still be required to go for dialysis while waiting for a compatible kidney donation. However, while the wait is long, once the transplant is complete, you will no longer have to go for dialysis and will be able to live a fully normal life again and it will all be worth it!

Between these two treatment options, what I think would be the best for you is to get a kidney transplant. Yes, the wait may be painfully long and there are risks, as expected in all surgeries. However, the success rate of kidney transplants is also high, so I do not think you have much to worry about. Moreover, once you get the transplant, you will no longer have to spend many hours going for your dialysis treatment and while you may need to take extra precautions for yourself, you will be able to get back your full health! You could try finding a compatible and willing donor in your family first, before discussing with them the possible option of getting a transplant from a stranger. If your parents are agreeable with the idea, you can then proceed to consult your doctor about further information you may need to know.

I hope that whatever information that I have provided you with in this letter can help you in your decision and that you may take my recommendation into consideration. Always remember that I am here to support you no matter what and that I will always be by your side. Feel free to contact me if you need any more help or if you just need someone to talk to. Do update me on how you are doing soon, and don’t give up! I am sure that you will be able to get through this.

Yours sincerely,
Leanna

Disclaimer: Please note that the views and opinions expressed in the essays for the Live On Festival 2021 are those of the participants and are not endorsed by the National Organ Transplant Unit (Ministry of Health).

To learn more about organ donation and organ transplantation in Singapore, please visit www.liveon.gov.sg ↗ (opens in new tab)