Denzel Lee Kheng Ghee, 14

School: Bukit View Secondary School

Topic: Two interviews with a donor family

Award: Junior Category, 2025

From Grief, We Gave 

A second chance at life: The Lim family’s experience through organ donation despite immense grief 

Grief often silences us. However, for the Lim family, it did the opposite. It ignited a quiet courage to honour the dying wish of someone they dearly loved. When their son Jack, a 35-year-old neurologist, passed on unexpectedly from a rare blood disorder, the Lims were thrust into an emotional maelstrom. Yet amidst their devastation, they made a decision that gave others a second chance at life.         

The decision to Donate: A family’s courage 

When I first met the Lim family, their pain of loss was conspicuous. The air was heavy with heartbreak. Jack, a kind and vivid 35-year-old man, was a renowned neurologist. However, unbeknownst to anyone, Jack had a rare blood disorder which led to his tragic death. His parents and his twelve-year-old sister, Janice, were devastated. 

“He was always talking about how organ donation could give people a new lease of life,” Janice whispered, her small fingers gripping the edge of her sleeve. “It feels like he left… too soon” Janice said, trying so hard to hold back tears. 

“We were always against him donating organs as it feels like we are losing a part of him. Despite this, we are happy to know that his heart is beating in someone else’s body” Jack’s father, Mr Lim said. 

Jack had made his wishes clear – “If I can still help others after I’m gone, let me…” 

Hearing this, I almost teared up. “We now put a sunflower next to his picture as a symbol of remembrance, a way to remember his presence,” Mrs Lim said, sniffling. 

Four months later: Following the agreement for the organ transplant 

When I met the Lim family again, their looks changed from devastation to hope. Although their closure remained elusive, there seemed to be a change in their outlook of life. They are determined to give other patients a second chance at life. “Now that Jack’s heart, liver, kidneys, spleen, lungs and pancreas have been donated to those in need, I feel happy that we could honour his final wish, even if he is not around to see it in person, but is able to in spirit,” Mrs Lim remarked. “We are coping better now. Although we are still mourning his loss, we know that the past cannot be undone and that life moves on” Janice said. 

“When we saw how happy the recipients were, I couldn’t help but smile. Jack had helped them,” Mr Lim shared warmly. “As Nan Witcomb once said, ‘We do not have to rely on memories to recapture the spirits of those we have loved and lost; they live within our souls in some perfect sanctuary which even death cannot destroy.’ This beautifully captures how Jack’s legacy endures through the lives he saved.” 

“A father in his 30s received Jack’s heart and kidneys, while an elderly woman in her 60s was given his liver. A 15-year-old boy benefitted from his spleen and pancreas,” Mr. Lim added. Seeing the recipients’ renewed vitality has been incredibly heartening. Some recipients even sent us thank-you gifts as tokens of appreciation.” 

“I hope Jack’s altruism inspires others to pay it forward by becoming organ donors themselves,” she added with quiet pride. 

A legacy that lives on 

The Lim family’s journey through grief and generosity is a testament to the power of love and selflessness. By honouring Jack’s wish, they not only gave others a chance to live but also found a way to preserve his legacy. Their story reminds us that even in the darkest of times, there is hope. Regardless of what happens, hope is never lost.

Disclaimer: Please note that the views and opinions expressed in the essays for the Live On Festival 2025 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