Eighteen people were waiting for a lung transplant in Hong Kong as of September 2026, while three such operations were performed in the first nine months of the year.
The Hospital Authority says donated lungs are more susceptible to infection than other organs, leaving very few that meet transplant standards. A doctor at Grantham Hospital explained that lungs for transplant come from deceased donors; many are brain-stem-dead people whose lives are maintained with ventilators, which contributes to a relatively high infection risk.
If none is found locally, mainland assistance may be considered, the doctor said. No transplant using lungs from a mainland donor had been completed.
Raymond, now 66, was diagnosed with pulmonary fibrosis 16 years ago and joined the waiting list in 2023. He received a transplant recently, after waiting nearly three years. He said that for the previous three to four years he had to stop and rest after walking for about 10 minutes. He had given up work and social activities, spent most of his time resting at home, and found tasks such as bathing and mopping difficult.
Raymond described the transplant as a second life and thanked his donor. He has since made a habit of hiking.