Cabbies donate 3 new machines to Kidney Dialysis Foundation on World Kidney Day

Mr Ang Wei Neng, chief executive of transport group ComfortDelGro's taxi business, with Madam Nor Aisah at the Kidney Dialysis Foundation Bishan Centre on March 8, 2018. On Madam Aisah's left is one of the three new haemodiafiltration machines donated to the centre by ComfortDelGro's charity group CabbyCare. ST PHOTO: KUA CHEE SIONG

SINGAPORE - New high-tech dialysis machines donated by generous cabbies will soon make the procedure much safer for patients like Madam Nor Aisah.

Madam Aisah, who has been receiving subsidised treatment at the Kidney Dialysis Foundation (KDF) Bishan Centre three times a week for 18 years, has to worry about complications such as low blood pressure.

But those concerns will recede for Madam Aisah, 51, when the centre starts using its three new haemodiafiltration machines.

The machines, which will be the first of their kind at the centre, include new technical functions that improve treatment, correcting several clinical conditions that affect dialysis patients. They will replace older ones by June.

ComfortDelGro's charity group CabbyCare and Madam Lim Choo Eng, wife of late cabby Cheng Teck Hock, who was involved in a fatal collision with a Ferrari in 2012, donated the machines on Thursday (March 8) in conjunction with World Kidney Day.

The husband of another patient who accompanies his wife for treatment sessions three times a week described the donation as " very touching".

"It warms us that they even came down personally to give us the machines," added 58-year-old Mr Liau.

Mr Chan Soo Sen (right), board member of the Kidney Dialysis Foundation (right) and Mr Ang Wei Neng (centre), chief executive of transport group ComfortDelGro's taxi business, look on as Mr Kanapathy Shunmugam (left), chairman of Cabbycare Charity Group, places a plaque on one of the three new haemodiafiltration machines. ST PHOTO: KUA CHEE SIONG

CabbyCare has had a long partnership with KDF, first donating four dialysis machines in 2004. This time, the cabbies raised $72,000 to sponsor the new machines.

This was the second time cab driver Freddie Lee, 70, has helped give new machines to the centre.

"We hope that in the future we can donate more machines to KDF or even other dialysis centres that are willing to partner with us," he said.

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