THEIR eyes were red even before they made themselves comfortable in the office of one of Hongkong's highest ranking officials. When they finally began to tell their stories to the one person they knew could make a difference, they could no longer fight back the tears.
Between them, the two mothers have brought up three haemophiliac children who have been tested positive for the deadly AIDS virus. For seven years, they held back the secret. Now, they had finally won the chance to make a plea for compassion. They were not about to waste it.
For them, it was an emotional high spot: they never thought they would ever have a friend in Lower Albert Road, let alone be there.
As Secretary for Health and Welfare, Mrs Elizabeth Wong Chien Chi-lien has heard many sad stories. But when she emerged from the two-hour encounter, even she admitted: ''This has opened my eyes.'' Mrs Wong had asked to meet the haemophiliac victims of blood transfusions given at Government hospitals, after reading one mother's story in last week's Sunday Morning Post. At her request, we arranged for two of the mothers to see her privately.
The women maintained they were speaking for themselves, although anything they achieved they insisted should also go to all of Hongkong's 61 haemophiliacs and their families caught in a tragic and hopeless situation through no fault of their own.
And they explained that, horrifying as their stories were, there were many far worse.