Even with heavy fines and punishment for illicit organ trafficking in Singapore, people may still take risks to save their loved ones who have kidney failure from having to go through a lifetime of dialysis (Malaysian reportedly involved in organ trafficking: UK newspaper; Aug 10).

Dialysis is the only way to treat kidney failure and it is a process that is a lifelong commitment by both the patients and their families. It is a long journey and it is both tiring and challenging.

Dialysis patients cannot urinate as their kidneys are no longer functioning well, and all water that they drink accumulates in their bodies.

As such, they have to limit their daily water intake to not more than 1,000ml, which is about four cups of coffee, not forgetting the amount of pills a dialysis patient needs to consume every day.

Very often, they have to learn how to swallow pills. Drinking water freely is a luxury for dialysis patients.

To avoid being in such a dire and painful situation, it would be wise to watch for any early warning signs and take all possible preventive measures, such as eating in moderation and opting for a healthier lifestyle.

The National Kidney Foundation encourages dialysis patients to first opt for kidney transplant as their treatment option because transplant patients have better survival and quality of life, with the least disruptions to their daily living.

If you have a loved one who wishes to donate a kidney to you, please accept it bravely and the donor's post-surgery annual medical check-ups will be taken care of through the foundation's Kidney Live Donor Support Fund.

It provides financial assistance to living kidney donors covering kidney-related medical welfare and insurance.

For more information on funding coverage and application, call the NKF hotline on 1800-KIDNEYS (1800-543-6397), or visit www.nkfs.org

Tim Oei

Chief Executive Officer

The National Kidney Foundation