The Customs and Excise Department is appealing to the public for a liver donation for one of its officers who is in a coma in hospital after being injured on duty last week. The officer, Yuen Wai-cheung, 39, was in a critical condition at Queen Mary Hospital last night, waiting for a liver transplant which is the only way to save his life. Yuen, who is a member of the revenue and general investigation bureau, damaged his liver when he tripped and fell against a roadside railing during a raid to counter trading in illicit cigarettes. Commissioner of Customs and Excise Richard Yuen Ming-fai, who visited the injured officer last night, said Yuen was on life support. 'He is a devoted and committed officer who has the support of colleagues, and is a keen chess player as well,' the commissioner said. Yuen, who joined the customs service 15 years ago and is married with a nine-year-old daughter, was chasing a suspected member of an illicit cigarette syndicate in Kin Ming Estate, Tsuen Kwan O, at about 6.30pm on Thursday when he fell. He did not have obvious injuries and felt only chest pain but it was found during treatment at United Christian Hospital that his liver was bleeding and he had surgery to stop the bleeding. He was then sent to the Queen Mary Hospital where it was found he needed a transplant. The department said more than 50 people, including customs officers, had indicated their willingness to make a donation since it made an internal appeal on Wednesday. Professor Lo Chung-mau, head of the University of Hong Kong's liver transplant team at Queen Mary Hospital, said two of the patient's colleagues were waiting for blood test results last night to see if they were suitable donors. He said the transplant team had met more than 20 customs staff since the officer's plight became known but the team had to make sure a would-be donor was truly determined to give part of their liver and had the agreement of their families. 'Having a large number of people turning up at the hospital to donate livers has put much stress on our team, as we have to explain to each of them, clearly, the potential risks of the procedure. Many of them could not get agreement from their wives so we had to turn them down,' Lo said. 'We don't want to see anyone who comes here to donate a liver because of public pressure,' he said. 'Doctors here are the gatekeepers and we have to be careful. It is not an ideal situation to risk the life of a healthy person to help a patient.' One customs officer who passed the blood test on Tuesday night was found to be unsuitable because his liver was not in good condition. The two officers waiting for the blood test results are both single. Lo said he would meet their next of kin in person to get their approval if they passed the tests. In a statement appealing for a donor, the Customs and Excise Department said suitable people should be healthy, aged between 18 and 60, with and O+ blood type, and not on medication. It said that any people wanting to make a donation should first obtain written consent from their families. Potential donors who believe they may fulfill the conditions can call Hong Kong Customs hotline on the number 2815 2426 or Queen Mary Hospital on 2255 3838. A brother-in-law of Yuen also made a public appeal for a donor. The vice-chairman of the Hong Kong Customs Officers Association, Chan Ming, said the department and the association would provide assistance to the officer and his family members.
