Mike Watson is now was recovering in Queen Mary Hospital in Hong Kong following a so far successful liver transplant surgery Tuesday afternoon Pacific Standard Time.
Earlier in the day, Watson’s partner and donor Lisa Needoba, who was selected as the best match after they arrived at the medical facility Friday, had just come out of surgery and was doing well.
In an email to the Western News Monday, Spencer Watson, Mike’s older brother, who also made the trip to Hong Kong, indicated the operation was scheduled for about 8 p.m. PST.
The couple, along with critical care nurse Brad MacIver of Lifesupport left Penticton Regional Airport for Vancouver on a donated private aircraft Friday morning and then on to Hong Kong on a commercial Air Canada flight.
According to family friend Monique Atherton, shortly after arriving in Hong Kong a woman there met them after hearing about their situation and brought them dinner, a cell phone, some local currency and signs in Cantonese to help them to communicate.
“And even took Lisa to the rental she had booked for her,” said Atherton.
“Truly angels everywhere are looking out for this family.”
The Kaleden couple left behind three children aged four to 10 who are expected to stay with Spencer and his wife while the parents recover in the hospital.
Mike’s problem surfaced in mid-December when he had a massive internal hemorrhage.
While the cause was not determined at the time, doctors later decided transplant was immediately necessary in order for him to survive.
That meant the six-month wait time to receive the transplant in Canada would be too late at which point Spencer began searching for an alternative location, eventually deciding on the Hong Kong hospital.
Meanwhile, donations continue to flood into the YouCaring compassionate crowd-funding website which is nearing the $130,000 mark of it’s $264,000 goal.
Donations can be made at www.youcaring.com/lisa-needoba-and-mike-watson-493493/update/435993.