bodyType

customContents

entityId

entityUuid

articlePageQuery

filter

article

articleBaseAdvertisingInfoArticle

articleListArticle

articleSeoArticle

hooksArticleAcknowledgementGateOverlayArticle

hooksTrackPageViewArticle

hooksContentInterestArticle

articleLinkingDataContent

hooksAmpRedirectArticle

articleSchemaContent

liveArticle

advertZone

sentiment

contentLock

topics

types

sections

paywallTypes

createdDate

publishedDate

sponsorType

urlAlias

moreOnThisArticles

commentCount

authorLocations

authors

corrections

displaySlideShow

multimediaEmbed

printHeadline

seriesContainer

articleSpeeches

socialHeadline

headline

images

flag

firstTopic

glossary

flattenTypeIds

image

relatedLinks

relatedNewsletters

__typename

sponsor

pdfFiles

seriesReverseOrder

series

disableOffPlatformContent

published

updatedDate

summary

subHeadline

body

keywords

readingTime

customTimezone

liveContents

Lo Hoi-ying

This story has been made freely available as a public service to our readers. Please consider supporting SCMP’s journalism by subscribing.
The parents of a seven-month-old Hong Kong baby girl in need of a life-saving heart transplant have appealed again for a suitable donor as she suffers from worsening respiratory failure.
Hong Kong Children’s Hospital said on Thursday that Whitney remained in critical condition in its paediatric intensive care unit since her parents first asked publicly for donors last October.
She was diagnosed with dilated cardiomyopathy, a condition that causes her heart’s main pumping chamber to become enlarged, making it difficult to send blood to the rest of the body.
Whitney has been on the local heart transplant waiting list for more than four months and is the first among similarly sized patients.
The hospital said it had sought help from mainland China for a suitable heart, in addition to searching locally.
“If a potential donor in mainland China dies with no suitable local recipient, arrangements can be made for cross-border organ donation to Hong Kong for transplant, bringing hope of a new life to critically ill patients,” it said.
Whitney’s father, surnamed Cheung, also filmed a video appealing for donors to step forward.
“Since Whitney’s hospitalisation, all we could do for her is to accompany her in the ward and follow up with doctors about her condition, but we know deep down that she needs to wait for a suitable heart donor before she has a chance at recovery,” he said.
“We are very thankful to Whitney for being so strong even though she is so small. She is even stronger than her parents and she has survived five difficult months.”
The baby’s symptoms first appeared on September 14 when she had loss of appetite and vomiting before going into cardiogenic shock, a life-threatening condition in which her heart could not pump enough blood to meet her body’s needs.
Whitney underwent surgery later that month, but her condition deteriorated three days later and she required cardiopulmonary resuscitation. She was also connected to an artificial heart-lung machine to keep her alive.
In January, she suffered from a catheter-related infection leading to sepsis and respiratory failure.
She experienced breathing difficulties again on Wednesday with bacteria detected in the blood and is undergoing antibiotic treatment. She is conscious but requires the use of a feeding tube.

Her father said they could only pray for the artificial heart-lung machine to help Whitney as she awaited a suitable donor. They were aware that long-term support on the machine came with risks.
The hospital said a heart transplant was the only option for Whitney and had to be performed as soon as possible.
“Otherwise, there is a high risk of severe complications such as intracranial haemorrhage, stroke and infection, posing an immediate threat to life,” it said.
A suitable donor must weigh 7kg to 22kg (15.4lb to 48.5lb), and all blood types are accepted.
Hearts are among the fewest organs donated for transplant in Hong Kong. As of the end of December, 77 patients were waiting for a heart transplant, while only four organs were donated last year.
“She loves smiling at us and her healthcare workers. Whitney gives us a lot of courage, so we will stay strong and not give up or feel defeated,” Cheung said. “We hope she can encounter a miracle and find a suitable heart.”


Police arrest man on suspicion of stealing personal data of 56,000 patients, 1,000 staff

HKUST launches 5-year study into long lifespans of Chinese people

Hong Kong doctor axed for posting resuscitation photo faces Medical Council case

Hong Kong hospital uses VR tour to ease children’s fears ahead of operations

Hong Kong healthcare and hospitals

Parents of Hong Kong baby girl in need of heart transplant renew appeal for donor

The parents of seven-month-old Whitney have renewed appeals for a suitable heart donor as she suffers from worsening respiratory failure. Photo: Handout

Whitney has been diagnosed with dilated cardiomyopathy, a condition that causes her heart’s main pumping chamber to become enlarged, making it difficult to pump blood to the rest of the body. Photo: Handout

Hong Kong fund invests to usher medical innovations into mainland China hospitals

Antony Leung Kam-chung, chairman and co-founder of New Frontier Group, speaks at a ceremony marking the firm’s partnership with HKIC at the Hong Kong Convention and Exhibition Centre on February 12, 2025. Photo: Elson Li

Clara Chan, CEO of Hong Kong Investment Corporation, speaks at a ceremony marking an investment in New Frontier Group at the Hong Kong Convention and Exhibition Centre on February 12, 2025. Photo: Elson Li

Hong Kong Children’s Hospital suspends ENT department, affecting 500 patients

Hong Kong Children’s Hospital in Kai Tak has suspended its ear, nose and throat department due to a manpower crunch. Photo: Jelly Tse

Hong Kong Children’s Hospital in Kai Tak. Photo: Sun Yeung

News

Hong Kong

Health & Environment

Whitney has been in intensive care unit at Hong Kong Children’s Hospital suffering worsening respiratory failure since parents’ first appeal last October


Whitney has been in intensive care unit at Hong Kong Children’s Hospital suffering worsening respiratory failure since parents’ first appeal last October.


Hong Kong society

Parents of Hong Kong baby girl in need of heart transplant renew appeal for donor

.css-1c6uqr6{color:inherit;font-weight:inherit;font-size:inherit;font-family:inherit;line-height:inherit;overflow-wrap:break-word;}Whitney has been in intensive care unit at Hong Kong Children’s Hospital suffering worsening respiratory failure since parents’ first appeal last October

Whitney has been in intensive care unit at Hong Kong Children’s Hospital suffering worsening respiratory failure since parents’ first appeal last October