By Bae Ji-sook
Staff Reporter

Laughter can do more than just make one feel good ― it creates acetylcholine which helps fight against cancer and other deadly diseases, said Keith Goh, chairman of ``Make

Neurosurgeon Keith Goh

A Wish Foundation.''

Goh, a renowned neurosurgeon, stresses the importance of happiness in terms of treatment. ``I think it does just as any medical treatment can do,'' he says.

His charity foundation Make A Wish gives young patients the chance to laugh for a while. With the help of many donors and celebrities who gladly share their fame and time, patients often have their wildest dreams come true. Taking them to amusement parks like Disney Land, enlisting David Beckham to take small football classes, inviting them to Michael Jackson's concerts are just a few to name of.

``I was also amazed by how much celebrities are dedicated to charity and how pleasant they were when they have learnt that their collaboration could actually contribute to the treatment progress,'' he said. Having their photograph taken with Nicole Kidman could be a lifetime memory for a child, he said.

In Korea, celebrities like (actress) Kim Tae-hee, (actor) Kwon Sang-woo and many others participate in making young patients' wishes come true. They keep a low profile and media coverage isn't as active as in the Western world. ``But I say they are very much dedicated, too,'' he said.

What made Goh a worldly figure, however, is his career as a neurosurgeon at Raffles Hospital in Singapore. Especially, he became a household name here when he treated Korean Siamese twins Min Sa-rang and Min Ji-hye five years ago. Goh, who was already famous for treatment of several other conjoined twins, took Ji-hye and Sa-rang, undertook months of examinations, simulations and tens of hours of surgery to give them independence.

When he visited Korea last month, Goh said he met the twins once again. ``They were smiling, laughing but were very polite ― good Korean girls!'' he said.

Goh is a risk taker ― he dares to break new ground for the sake of the patients. He became the target of international criticism when he took the case of the Iranian Bijani twins who were joined at the head. Both Ladan and Laleh Bijani did not survive ― they died shortly after separation.

Goh says he does not regret it. ``They were determined to take the 50-50 chance. They were sure that they wanted a minute separated from each other,'' he said.

He asked other fellow doctors take risks in drastic cases. ``I know that being conservative is the best thing you can do in ordinary situations. But I think sometimes you should push a bit forward,'' he said.

bjs@koreatimes.co.kr