7-year-old girl donates cornea: Minister affectionately calls her "little daughter"

This afternoon, the family of Hai An (7 years old, Nam Tu Liem, Hanoi) held a funeral for her at the funeral home. As planned, Minister of Health Nguyen Thi Kim Tien was to attend the funeral, but due to a sudden business trip, she was unable to arrive at the last minute.

Minister Kim Tien sent a wreath to visit the baby and expressed gratitude to her and her family, affectionately calling her "little daughter Hai An".

“Let me call her “little daughter Hai An!”

I was so touched when I learned that little Hai An had talked about organ donation with her mother while she was struggling with pain in the hospital bed. She had done something unbelievable but true.

On behalf of the medical profession, I would like to send my most sincere gratitude from the bottom of my heart to you and your family! The gift you and your family have given to this life is a shining example for our medical profession and the whole society to follow.

This gift is truly a shining gem in life! Your corneas will one day help two blind people to have the opportunity to see the light. Thus, although your body is gone from us, you will continue to live one more time, you will still be able to admire this beautiful life.

I believe that somewhere, you are happy because you have done a good deed and brought so much love to life! Little girl Hai An will always be present in the hearts of her parents, grandparents; in my heart and everyone else's!

In this moment of farewell, we are here not only to remember and mourn but also to be proud of you.

Before your soul, we pray for you to be happy in a new horizon.

Goodbye Little Girl!”

Also this afternoon, many children in class 2A with Hai An came to the funeral, many children kept crying.

Baby Hai An passed away peacefully in the early afternoon of February 22, just 3 months after turning 7 years old, due to diffuse pontine glioma. This is a rare cancer in children, and is extremely difficult to treat.

During the treatment days, the mother and child decided to donate organs to less fortunate children, but due to the regulation of only accepting organs from people 18 years of age or older, they could only receive the child's cornea.

In the evening of the same day, staff from the Eye Bank, Central Eye Hospital came to the child’s house to receive the corneas and witnessed the mother’s loving words to her daughter: “Please give your light to other children!”. With these 2 corneas, at least 2 blind patients will be able to see the light.