‘Her heart is beginning to fail’: days may be numbered for 8-year-old Hong Kong girl Tin-yu left in vegetative state after surgery incident: family

Chau Tin-yu, an eight-year-old girl from Hong Kong, is in a critical condition. She was left in a vegetative state following a surgical mishap at a public hospital in 2020. Now, her heart is showing signs of failure, and her family is bracing themselves for the worst.

In 2018, Chau Tin-yu was diagnosed with a rare form of cancer known as rhabdomyosarcoma. During a surgical procedure to remove the tumour in 2020, a crucial blood transfusion was delayed by 48 minutes. This delay resulted in her being permanently bedridden. Her family recently posted on their social media page that her condition is deteriorating and she might not survive.

The doctors have informed the family that Chau Tin-yu's blood pressure is low and her heart rate is slow, indicating that her heart is beginning to fail. They have administered inotropes, a type of medication that alters the force of muscle contractions, but it has not been effective. The family, despite having prepared themselves mentally over the past few years, are experiencing indescribable pain. They understand that it might be more humane for her to pass away peacefully rather than prolong her suffering. They are spending as much time as possible with her and are requesting people to pray for her.