Positive attitude

Her course facilitator, Mr Lee Yow Jinn, told The New Paper that she is a diligent student, "who despite her illness maintains a positive attitude and remains cheerful in class".

Mr Lee said via e-mail: "She has never let her condition affect her studies, even to the very last day in class when she had to defer her studies and concentrate on her treatment.

"When I met her again last November, she had lost weight but I could still see the cheerful spirit in her."

Mr Lee has since set up a blog, www.jiali-jiayou.blogspot.com, to get more people to know about her condition. He hopes to help raise money for her medical bills. Last November, Republic Poly raised $7,000 for her.

Medisave exhausted

Jia Li said her parents have exhausted their Medisave accounts.

Her mother, Madam Chai Chiew Lan, 49, is a housewife, while her father, Mr Lim Boon Kui, 52, earns $800 a month doing odd jobs.

Chair Ling, who earns $1,000 a month as a tutor, said the family owes the National University Hospital more than $50,000.

If Jia Li undergoes another transplant, she will need another $100,000, Chair Ling added.

But the polytechic is helping.

A Republic spokesman told The New Paper via e-mail: "We will assist Jia Li to assimilate into class again and have financial aid schemes for needy students to assist her."

This article was first published in The New Paper.