Fr Dr Mary Cardosa

Taken from Malaysian Association in France, written by Dr Mary Cardosa

Dear friends,

After reading all the feedback on what a wonderful person Bee Hooi was, I want to add something: I was fortunate to have the opportunity to have some interaction with Bee Hooi and always found her, as others have, to be a remarkable and admirable person. As President of the MSA, and in response to suggestions from Dato Jahizah and others, I am proposing that we acknowledge Bee Hooi's untimely death and her contribution to Anaesthesia at our forthcoming AGM/ASM in Langkawi.

In addition, I am also asking Wee Leong to write a short article about Bee Hooi and her "true Malaysian" spirit to be published in the Berita MMA (she was also an MMA member). Last but not least, I would like to post the following poem for all of us to read, because I feel that it fits Bee Hooi's personality and outlook on life and because Bee Hooi lives on in everyone she has touched in her life. Mary The poem is entitled "Do Not Stand at my Grave and Weep" and is attributed to Mary Elizabeth Frye (1904-2004). There are a few (slightly different) versions but I like this best.

Mary Cardosa

Do not stand at my grave and weep

Do not stand at my grave and weep
I am not there; I do not sleep.
I am a thousand winds that blow,
I am the diamond glints on snow,
I am the sun on ripened grain,
I am the gentle autumn rain.
When you awaken in the morning's hush
I am the swift uplifting rush
Of quiet birds in circled flight.
I am the soft stars that shine at night.
Do not stand at my grave and cry,
I am not there; I did not die.

Letter from Embassy of Malaysia in Paris

Dr. Tan Bee Hooi, an anesthetist at the Hospital Pulau Pinang, passed away on 26 March 2008 due to complications from surgeries relating to arteriovenous malformation (AVM) in her brain. Dr. Tan has been undergoing treatment at the Fondation Rothschild, under the care of Professor Jacques Moret, a world renowned interventional neuro-radiologist.

The complicated procedure of the embolization of the AVM on 11 March 2008 went well. However, the condition of Dr. Tan, or Bee Hooi as she was fondly known, took a turn for the worse. She passed away peacefully due to complications from the follow-up surgeries.

Despite the grief following her loss, her family had taken the bold and timely decision to donate her organs to the recipients in France and Europe, which included her cornea, heart, kidney and liver. Her father, Dato’ Tan Gin Soon believed that her daughter would have wanted him to do this, given her deep and abiding interest to serve fellow human beings. Dato’ Tan Gin Soon will return to Penang with her daughter’s remains on Saturday, 29 March 2008.

The Malaysian Ambassador to France, Dato’ S. Thanarajasingam in conveying and extending his condolences, praised Dr. Tan for doing Malaysia proud of her organ donation to the needy patients in France and Europe. "She was truly a remarkable woman. Even in her death, she has given life".



Embassy of Malaysia

Paris
28 March 2008
http://www.kln.gov.my/?m_id=44&id=1246

Caption from Dr LimWL

Caption from Dr Lim WL,

It is now 5:00pm Wednesday in Paris (26.3.08)

Dr. Tan Bee Hooi was diagnosed brain dead on the later part of Tuesday morning. Doctors in the ICU enquired if she had considered to be an organ donor otherwise the next step was to withdraw support. We explained that it was likely that the family would agree but needed their presence to declare their willingness to donate Bee Hooi's organs.

This morning her father, sister and the father of her two children arrived at Paris. They had taken the flight from KLIA on Tuesday night. They were brought to the hospital immediately and allowed special visitation rights. Here we were informed that Bee Hooi had already pledged to be a organ donor while in Malaysia. Hence it was the family's desire that those wishes of Bee Hooi should be fulfilled even in France.

It was good to have the family to here in Paris to see Bee Hooi and bid her farewell. Grieving is always painful and very personal.

They were also able to meet Prof. Jacques Moret who took much time explaining what was done to Bee Hooi and the subsequent complications that arose as a result of the embolization.

Next they were taken to the Malaysian Embassy in France and were received by our Ambassador. Our ambassador conveyed his condolences and offered help to the family in whatever way possible to expediate the return of Bee Hooi's remains.

The organ harvesting will probably start late this evening and will not finish until early tomorrow morning.

I have no more tears for Bee Hooi, only respect and admiration for this wonderful person and a true Malaysian.

Lim Wee Leong