Skip to main content

Advertisement

Advertisement

Punggol East MP Charles Chong in recovery after undergoing liver transplant

SINGAPORE — People’s Action Party (PAP) Member of Parliament Charles Chong, 63, received part of his son’s liver in a transplant earlier this month, he told the media in response to queries on Tuesday (Dec 20).

Mr Charles Chong. TODAY file photo

Mr Charles Chong. TODAY file photo

Follow TODAY on WhatsApp

SINGAPORE — People’s Action Party (PAP) Member of Parliament Charles Chong, 63, received part of his son’s liver in a transplant earlier this month, he told the media in response to queries on Tuesday (Dec 20).

On Dec 1, the PAP had announced that Mr Chong, who is the MP for Punggol East, had undergone a planned medical procedure and would be on eight weeks’ medical leave, but provided no further details. 

Mr Chong said there was no immediate need for him to have a liver transplant as his liver was still functioning well, about three years after he was first diagnosed with a condition called non-alcoholic steatohepatitis during a routine medical check-up. But his doctors found “a couple of small lesions” on his liver and had advised that he should consider a transplant now while he was still in good health. 

It was the best option for the long term, they had told him. His two sons volunteered to be donors but it was Mr Chong’s younger son, Glenn, who was found to be the better match, he said.

He was discharged from hospital last Wednesday. Since the operation, the recovery process has been good despite “a lot of pain” at first, said Mr Chong. 

“I’m much better now but because I’m on immunosuppressants to allow my body to get used to the new liver, I need to be careful about ensuring that I don’t pick up any sort of illness while my immunity is low,” he added.

He has regular follow-up blood tests and liver function tests, and hopes to be cleared after eight weeks’ medical leave by doctors to resume his activities in Punggol East. “It’s still early days, so hopefully I will make good progress with my recovery in the next few weeks,” he said in his email response to the media. 

Mr Chong, a veteran MP who is also Deputy Speaker of Parliament, said his liver condition had not impacted his personal life, work or political and grassroots activities, although his doctors had monitored it closely. 

Non-alcoholic steatohepatitis, or Nash, is a type of non-alcoholic fatty liver disease, where fat builds up in the liver. Nash occurs when there is liver inflammation and can, when severe, result in scarring of the liver and lead to cirrhosis, or hardening of the liver. 

Mr Chong thanked MPs of the adjacent Pasir Ris-Punggol Group Representation Constituency for helping to look after his ward. One of the MPs, Deputy Prime Minister Teo Chee Hean, attended Punggol East’s Meet-the-People Session on Monday and has helped with some community events in the ward, even as he looks after his own area, said Mr Chong. 

“So I am very grateful for the help and support from the Pasir Ris-Punggol team, as well as my own team of PAP activists and grassroots leaders, who have not let up on the political or grassroots activities in Punggol East in my absence,” he added. 

“I would also like to thank everyone — friends, family, colleagues and residents — for their concern and well wishes.”

Read more of the latest in

Advertisement

Advertisement

Stay in the know. Anytime. Anywhere.

Subscribe to get daily news updates, insights and must reads delivered straight to your inbox.

By clicking subscribe, I agree for my personal data to be used to send me TODAY newsletters, promotional offers and for research and analysis.