XN000022-1993-12-11 — Page 6

SATURDAY, DECEMBER 11, 1993

ORGAN DONATION A GIFT OF LIFE

THE GOVERNMENT AND COMMUNITY BODIES MUST JOIN HANDS IN PROVIDING A CONTINUING AND VIGOROUS PROGRAMME OF PUBLICITY AND EDUCATION TO ENCOURAGE LIVER DONATIONS, MRS PATTEN SAID (SATURDAY).

PUBLIC TODAY

"WE MUST PROVIDE THE COMMUNITY WITH MORE INFORMATION ABOUT LIVER DISEASE AND THE NEED FOR TRANSPLANTS," SHE SAID.

FOUNDATION,

SPEAKING AT THE INAUGURATION CEREMONY OF THE LIVER MRS PATTEN NOTED THAT LIVER DISEASE WAS A MAJOR KILLER IN HONG KONG.

ONE IN 10 OF THE POPULATION IS A CARRIER OF HEPATITIS-B SOME OF THESE CARRIERS WILL GO ON TO DEVELOP LIVER CANCER.

SHE

AND

COULD

POINTED OUT THAT MUCH OF THIS ILLNESS AND SUFFERING BE AVOIDED BY PRACTISING HEALTHY LIFESTYLE HABITS, WHILE MANY OF THOSE WHO CONTRACTED LIVER DISEASE COULD BE CURED BY TRANSPLANT.

"WE HAVE THE TECHNOLOGY, BUT WE DO NOT HAVE ENOUGH DONORS,

甲申 SHE

SAID.

SHE FELT THAT ORGAN DONATION WAS THE MOST SELFLESS WAY IN WHICH MEMBERS OF THE COMMUNITY CAN DEMONSTRATE THEIR CONCERN AND PUBLIC SPIRIT.

"ORGAN DONATION IS A GIFT THAT COSTS THE DONOR NOTHING. BUT THE RECIPIENT, IT IS THE GIFT OF LIFE, SHE SAID.

11

CULTURAL ATTITUDES AND

TO

WERE

TRADITIONAL ALTHOUGH

RESISTANCE GRADUALLY BEING OVERCOME, MRS PATTEN SAID: "THIS IS A SLOW PROCESS AND REQUIRES A LONG-TERM COMMITMENT. THERE IS STILL A LOT TO BE DONE.

#

LEAD

SHE HOPED THE FUTURE WOULD SEE MORE PEOPLE FOLLOWING THE THAT HONG KONG'S YOUNGER GENERATION HAS TAKEN AND OPT TO BE DONORS.

то BE

WISHES

FOR THOSE WHO CHOOSE NOT

DONORS, SHE SAID: "WE MUST RESPECT THEIR WISHES. BUT IN TURN, WE ASK THEM TO RESPECT THE OF THOSE WHO WANT TO DONATE AND NOT TO RAISE OBJECTIONS."

PUBLIC CONCERN ON ADOPTIVE CHILDREN GROWING

VOLUNTEERS HAVE SHOWN GROWING CONCERN AND SUPPORT FOR SERVICE OVER THE YEARS, THE DIRECTOR OF SOCIAL WELFARE, STRACHAN, SAID TODAY (SATURDAY).

SPEAKING

ADOPTIVE

MR

IAN

IN

AT AN AWARDS-PRESENTATION CEREMONY FOR VOLUNTEERS ADOPTION SERVICE AT WAN CHAI, MR STRACHAN EXPRESSED THE HOPE THAT MORE PEOPLE WOULD AWARE OF THE NEEDS OF CHILDREN AWAITING ADOPTION.

/IN 1991,