With both arms outstretched, Dy-lan Owens mutters the words “Zom-bie, zombie, zombie”, as he slowlyshuffles his feet forward, mimick-ing the fictional undead creature.

His playful exuberance is naturalfor a six-year-old. But, more impor-tantly, it is also his way of makinglight of his awkward gait.

Given a choice, Dylan wouldchoose walking like a zombie rath-er than the life he was accustomedto.

Born in Singapore with spasticdiplegia – a form of cerebral palsywhich restricted his ability to movehis legs – Dylan, whose parents areBritish, used to spend most of hiswaking hours in a wheelchair.

Walking was only possible withthe help of crutches.

That all changed in June lastyear.

During a four-hour operation inMissouri, United States, doctors sev-

ered abnormal nerves alongside thenormal ones in his spinal cord. Fi-nally, Dylan was able to walk, unas-sisted.

He chirped: “Now, I can try togo anywhere and I don’t need mysticks.

“I can go fast on my bike andI’m not scared any more.”

The surgery cost $120,000 and,with physiotherapy, Dylan stands achance of learning to run in thenext few years.

It was through many fund-rais-ing activities, including last year’sOCBC Cycle Singapore, that theOwens family was able to come upwith the money for the operation.

So, to show his gratitude, Dylanis participating again in the OCBCevent this year to raise awarenessfor others in a similar position.

While the Tanglin Trust Schoolpupil took part in the 150m tricycleride last year, the increased use of

his legs after the operation will en-able him to test himself over the5km ride this time.

Said his father, Graham, 43, thehead of research at the Singapore In-stitute of Directors: “He just lovesriding his bike and this year hewanted to challenge himself to gofurther.

“I don’t know if we can go thatfar, but we will do as much as wecan.”

To prepare for the ride, Dylanhas upgraded from a tricycle to atwo-wheeled bike with trainingwheels and cycles three to fourtimes a week along the river at Rob-ertson Quay, where he lives.

Said his mother, Paula, a teach-er: “He just takes it all in his stride.He worries about the little things,like getting a cut on his finger, but,for the bigger things like going forhis operation, he’s okay.”

Chan U-Gene

Chan U-Gene

Like most sisters, Tiny and FennySio share many things. They fit intothe same-sized clothes and shoes.They share toiletries and facial prod-ucts. They have similar tastes inHong Kong drama serials and Holly-wood blockbusters like the recentspace drama Gravity.

But, five months ago, the sisterstook sharing to a new level.

Fenny, 30, the younger sibling,donated one of her kidneys to Tiny,who is five years older.

Today, both sisters are healthy.Along with Tiny’s eight-year-olddaughter Charlotte, they will takepart in this year’s OCBC Cycle Sin-gapore event to raise awareness of,and money for, kidney transplants.

Tiny, 35, an administrative as-sistant in her husband’s photogra-phy company, knows just howlucky she is. Both of her kidneyshad severely deteriorated in thecourse of two years.

Had her sister not volunteeredto donate one of her organs, shefaced an uncertain future withfour-hour dialysis sessions threetimes a week for the rest of her life.

The average waiting time for akidney transplant in Singapore isnine years, with more than 400 pa-tients in a queue on a medical regis-ter. There are more patients thanthere are kidneys available and be-tween 15 and 20 people die hereeach year while waiting for a trans-plant.

When Tiny first found out thatshe needed a kidney transplant twoyears ago, her husband Alex Siew,

33, father Suleman, 66, mother

Ivanna, 61, Fenny and younger

brother Jackson Robin, 27, all vol-

unteered to donate a kidney.

Recalling how she felt, Tiny said:

“If I was able to get a new kidney, I

would have been happy. But it’s

not something you can force.

“I was speechless and very

touched. I know this kind of sup-

port doesn’t happen in all fami-

lies.”

After tests, it was found that Fen-

ny, a prisons officer who is single,

was the most suitable candidate.

Naturally, when it was time to

make a decision, she had many con-

flicting emotions.

For the eight months leading up

to the operation, she mulled over

the decision at length and quietly

convinced herself that she was mak-

ing the right choice.

“There was a lot of fear and hesi-

tation, a lot of niggling stuff, likeworms eating me up on the inside,”said Fenny. “Initially, I tried to askmyself if I felt that it was my dutyto save my sister. I wondered whatif my other kidney fails?

“Even now, when I think aboutit, my hands become clammy,” add-ed Fenny, as tears welled up in hereyes.

Sensing her sister’s uneasiness,Tiny, seated across the table,reached out to offer a comfortinghand.

But in the end, the thought ofseeing her sister go through con-stant dialysis was enough to con-vince Fenny to go for surgery.

Said Fenny : “I wanted to see herhealthy. I could not imagine seeingher in needles, going through thedialysis process.

“The image was disturbing, be-cause the blood vessels becomeswollen and bruised. I know my sis-ter is very vain. She would havebeen heartbroken to see her skinlike that.

“Also, if my niece saw her mumgoing through this, she would havebeen very sad.”

Fenny has to refrain from partici-pating in high-impact sports, likeher favourite wakeboarding. Shehas also given up on one item onher bucket list – skiing in the SwissAlps.

But, while there are some thingsthat have to be sacrificed, there arealso benefits. Adding to their obvi-ous emotional attachment, the sis-ters now share a heightened biologi-cal bond.

Said Tiny: “Recently, we keepteasing each other because it’s likewe have a sort of telepathy – oneday she was moody at work, andfor no reason, I was moody too.

“I told her, maybe it’s because asmall part of you is in me now.”

ugenec@sph.com.sg

Harols Wee has been to “hell” andback. Four times, to be precise.

The catering manager, 52, cheat-ed death after four bouts of majorheart surgery in 12 years had kepthim alive.

Doctors had to intervene to savehis life three times, in 2001, 2009and 2011, with major heart surgeryon each occasion.

The first operation was to repaira heart valve.

The second came after a heart at-tack, when surgeons had to im-plant a pacemaker to regulate hisheartbeat.

The third came in 2011, whenhis heart was functioning at lessthan 15 per cent capacity. Surgeonsimplanted an artificial mechanicalpump into his failing heart, whilehe awaited a transplant.

Finally, he was one of only fourpatients to have had a heart trans-plant in Singapore last year, when

there were 20 others on the waitinglist for donor hearts.

Said Wee, who received a newheart in February last year: “I feel

like I went to hell a few times andthen came out alive.

“It has been very emotional andvery physical in terms of pain and

inconvenience. It’s been very chal-lenging.”

Wee was only 35 when he wasfirst diagnosed with an enlarged

heart, a type of heart disorder.Years of excessive smoking andheavy drinking, he said, finally

took its toll.

At the time, he spent long hours

running a chain of restaurants, kara-oke bars and cafes.

He would also consume up totwo bottles of spirits and smokefour packs of cigarettes every night.

Today, Wee, who regrets his dec-adent lifestyle, has given up thosevices and will ride in the 5km cate-gory of the OCBC Cycle Singaporein support of SingHealth Trans-plant’s TRUEfund and to raiseawareness about the importance oforgan donation for heart and othertransplants.

Said Wee, who lives with his76-year -o ld mother and20-year-old daughter in an HDBapartment in Tampines: “I paid ahigh price to learn a lesson.

“Regretting my past won’t helpme but now I look forward tospending more time with my fami-ly and doing more charity and vol-unteer work.”

Chan U-Gene

ST PHOTO: KEVIN LIM

Harols Wee has plenty to be thankful for after being one of just four to get a heart transplant in Singapore last year.

Younger sister Fennydonated kidney toTiny, conquering herown fears to step up

ST PHOTO: NG SOR LUAN

Dylan Owens had an operation to help him use his legs again, and will attempt to cycle 5km this year.

ST PHOTO: NG SOR LUAN

Tiny (right) and her sister Fenny share the same bond as many siblings – with an added twist. They are raising awareness of, and money for, kidney transplants.

[ DYLAN OWENS ]

Finding his way in the world

[ TINY AND FENNY SIO ]

Part of each other shared for ever

[ HAROLS WEE ]

A new heart, a new start

The OCBC Cycle Singapore attracts thousands of participants everyyear, from the world’s top cyclists to amateur riders. But cycling is

not all they do. An increasing number of riders are using the eventto raise awareness and funds for various causes. At the inaugural

2009 event, $20,000 was raised for the Singapore Children’sSociety. Last year, a record $160,000 was raised for four charities.The Sunday Times speaks to some of those who will cycle for aspecial reason in the March 28-30 event at the F1 Pit Building

51sportMarch 23, 2014 thesundaytimes