Hong Kong teen’s will to fight illness ‘incredibly low’ after near-death scares
A teenager who fears dying young has narrowly escaped death twice this year after contracting influenza and respiratory virus infection, enduring what he described as his “most emotionally devastating breakdown”. Chen Tsz-kin, 17, was diagnosed with the incurable muscle-wasting disease at the age of 18 months and was told that people with the condition had an average life expectancy of 18. In a…
A 17-year-old Hong Kong boy, diagnosed with an incurable muscle-wasting disease at just 18 months old, has been through a terrifying ordeal this year. Chen Tsz-kin narrowly escaped death twice after contracting influenza and respiratory syncytial virus (RSV). The young man recounted his experience on Facebook, describing the recent episode as a "most emotionally devastating breakdown" of his life.
His mother, Michelle Li, said her son showed little will to fight the illness following the breakdown, with her witnessing him cry uncontrollably for 10 minutes. Despite his weakened physical state, Chen's mental health has stabilized, and his doctor confirmed his condition is stable with no adverse impact. His mother expressed relief that her son is feeling more at ease about the prospect of death following his recovery.
Muscular dystrophy, which affects about one in every 3,500 to 5,000 male newborns, causes progressive muscle-wasting leading to mobility loss and, eventually, cardiac or respiratory failure.
Written by urgent.news from South China Morning Post - Hong Kong's reporting — not their text. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.
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