Susan Lim Surgery | A Surgeon With Heart

Dr. Susan Lim has built up quite a reputation in her years as a surgeon, researcher, speaker and philanthropist. But perhaps the reputation that means the most to her is her reputation as a surgeon who goes above and beyond for her patients. Time and time again, patients of Dr. Lim recount not only how she saved their lives, but also how she accepted them as family. Even more noteworthy is the fact that she continues to have a caring relationship with them for years afterwards.

Dr. Susan Lim's Surgery Successes

As the first surgeon to perform a successful liver transplant in Asia, Dr. Susan Lim might appear at first impression to be unapproachable -- a surgeon so skilled and world-renowned that she would be too busy to offer much more than her surgical skills to the patient. But that is not the case with Dr. Susan Lim. Surgery also happens to be the occasion where she meets people who may then become an integral part of her life. You will find many of Dr. Susan Lim's surgery patients who are willing to share stories about the extra care she provided to them and the time she took to really get to know them and see them through their struggles. Here is one story:

Her liver transplant patient Surinder Kaur writes, on the twentieth Anniversary of her historic transplant

"My Superstar – Dr Susan Lim– At the age of 26, I was suffering from balding, jaundice and my abdomen was bloated by liver cirrhosis. The doctors gave me 6 months to live". I was referred to Dr Susan Lim by my Malaysian doctor when I was very ill and my liver had failed and I had a lot of fluid in my abdomen. After seeing Dr Lim, she explained the nature of surgery to me and my family. I then, made a decision to undergo the pioneering Liver Transplant Surgery by Dr Susan Lim at the National University Hospital. Not only did Dr Lim perform my surgery, Dr Susan Lim was also the one that had successfully raised $150,000 that was needed for my operation in 1990. To me, she is not only my surgeon, but MY SUPERSTAR, who had carried out the operation for me and saved my life. She had looked after me from a very sick person till I became well again. I am proud to say that "DR SUSAN LIM HAD SUCCESSFULLY PERFORMED THE FIRST LIVER TRANSPLANT SURGERY IN 1990 AND NOW 20 YEARS DOWN THE ROAD, I AM WELL AND LEADING A NORMAL LIFE".

When Dr Lim left National University Hospital for private practice in 1995, she had continued to look after me at both the Gleneagles Medical Centre and Mount Elizabeth Medical Centre. She had NEVER charged me for any specialist consultation fees or any fees at all. She also paid for all my blood tests, investigations and xrays over the last 15 years. I am greatly indebted to her for all her kindness.

In 1996, six years after my transplant, I became pregnant. Dr Lim, together with her colleague, Dr Yeoh Swee Choo looked after me and I delivered a very healthy baby boy. My baby boy has now grown up and he is now a healthy 15 year old boy. Dr Susan Lim had not only gave me my life, she had given me another life, that of my darling son. She had not charged me anything at all but instead paid for my treatments.

Dr Susan Lim continued to look after NOT ONLY ME but also look after the education of my son. She told me that she is the godmother to my son. In 2002, she provided a bursary to support my son's primary school education and had also given a further bursary for his secondary education. My son and I will forever be grateful to DR SUSAN LIM".