Real Hong Kong News
22 October, 2021
Jim, in his 30s, had been a long-term supporter and participant in Hong Kong’s pro-democracy movement and was known to many frontline protesters. During the anti-Extradition Bill protests in 2019, his family beat him up because of his political views and his support of the protests. The injuries were so serious that he was sent to the intensive care unit with platelet count dropped to 30,000 in each microlitre of blood (normally between 150,000 and 450,000). Despite his injuries, Jim continued to support the movement and regularly joined the months long protests.
Because of his health condition, Jim regularly went to the hospital for check ups and treatments, making it difficult for him to find full-time employment. At the same time, he had to move out because of his family’s physical abuse. Living costs plus medical bills had put him under tremendous financial pressure.
However, Jim refused to ask for donations from the public. Instead, he decided to open an online shop to sell his handmade denim flowers, one of the very few things he could still do given his medical condition.
According to sources, Jim once gave the respirator he was wearing and the spare one he was carrying to an elderly lady and her grandchild when the police’s tear gas canisters were raining down during one of the many 2019 anti-Extradition Bill protests. Having given up his protective gear, Jim inhaled a large amount of tear gas that day and his health continued to deteriorate.
Due to his ill health, tear gas affected him much more severely than others, according to Jim and others who were helping him with his online shop “Jim’s Square”. Benzene in tear gas was believed to be one of the causes of his rare medical condition – Jim and others who have been supporting him refused to disclose the name of the condition as only a handful of people who suffer from the same condition are still alive in Hong Kong, which means Jim can be easily identified.
Besides regular diarrhoea, a common symptom of protesters who inhaled tear gas, Jim also had blood in his stool. Having done multiple bone marrow and regular blood tests, Jim’s doctor confirmed that a bone marrow transplant was necessary.
On 6 October 2021, Jim’s condition worsened further. The volunteers who had been supporting him posted on social media that Jim was admitted to the hospital because his liver had swollen so much that he looked like a heavily pregnant woman and he was also suffering from other complications. Jim’s doctor recommended a liver transplant before his bone marrow transplant, and his online shop’s administrator (volunteer), posted on Jim’s Facebook page on 13 October asking people if they would be willing to donate their liver to Jim.
However, on 14 October, Jim’s doctor told him that his condition had deteriorated to a level that he was no longer suited for a liver transplant.
On 20 October, the volunteers informed people on Jim’s online shop Facebook page that Jim had passed away.
The Real Hong Kong News 