Little-known facts behind organ donation cards
The miracle of organ transplants stems not only from the success of medicine, but also from the heartwarming and humane stories behind them.
The miracle of organ transplants stems not only from the success of medicine, but also from the heartwarming and humane stories behind them.
Second chance
“I was given a second chance at life after a successful kidney transplant in 2017. My family is still complete, and my children still have their father thanks to this organ transplant miracle,” said Mr. NHD (Vinh City). Even now, Mr. D. shudders whenever he recalls those agonizing, slow-death days of end-stage kidney failure. His condition caused doctors and nurses to shake their heads, always preparing for the worst. The only thing his family could cling to was waiting for a “miracle” when someone would donate a kidney.
“I was in so much pain that I couldn't control myself and just wished to die. But when I was truly close to death, I realized how precious life is and I desperately wanted to live, to be given another chance to live. I underwent two kidney transplants because the first one was incompatible. After completing the second transplant, my family's finances were completely depleted. But as they say, as long as there is life, there is hope. After recovering, my wife and I started from scratch, and the joy of escaping death was immense. Since then, every day of my life has begun with gratitude. I am grateful to the person who donated their kidney to me, grateful to the doctors and medical staff who performed the surgery, and grateful to life for giving me a second chance to continue living, to raise my children, and to care for my parents…,” Mr. D. shared, unable to hide his emotion.
Mr. D.'s story is one of many touching stories stemming from the miracle of organ transplantation. Dr. Dinh Van Chien - Deputy Director of the Training and Referral Center, Deputy Head of the Organ Transplantation Coordination Unit,Nghe An Friendship General HospitalHe shared: “Not far from here, a colleague in my unit suffered from severe polycystic kidney disease, his life hanging by a thread with the arduous days of dialysis, and at times it seemed he wouldn't make it. Fortunately, at the most critical moment, he found a kidney donor and successfully received a transplant. Now, he can return to his healthy life, and can resume his mission of healing and saving lives.”
On September 30th, a 36-year-old male patient from Yen Thanh district passed away due to brain damage. After being advised about the noble act of donating tissues and organs after death/brain death, the victim's family agreed to donate multiple organs. This noble act immediately brought hope and life to two patients with end-stage chronic kidney disease undergoing dialysis. The remaining tissues and organs from this patient were transported to Hanoi to offer hope to other lives.
The miracle of organ donation is that when a life passes away, the pieces of that person's body are given new life. Their passing is no longer meaningless or insignificant…
The happiness of "giving"
Why think about death when you're still alive and healthy? Why want to have your organs removed and donated when you're still perfectly intact? These are familiar questions that people who register to donate organs often receive from family, relatives, and friends. While many people hesitate and are apprehensive about organ donation, there are others who are happy to "give."
Ms. Ngo Thi Lan Anh, a staff member of the Organ Donation Coordination and Transplantation Unit at Nghe An Friendship General Hospital, recounted: “Among those who came to register for organ donation, there was a war veteran who left a deep impression on us. He came to the unit three times: the first time to register for organ donation, the second time to submit registration documents for his wife, and the third time he came with another comrade.”
The person Lan Anh mentioned is former soldier Pham Trong Song (69 years old), from the Nghe An War Invalids Rehabilitation Center. He not only registered to participate.organ donationIn addition to encouraging relatives and friends to register for organ donation, he also wrote a handwritten letter to the unit that advises, retrieves, transplants, and coordinates organ donations from living donors and brain-dead donors - Nghe An Friendship General Hospital. With neat handwriting, the veteran, who had faced life and death defending the Fatherland with an 81% disability rating, wrote: “How wonderful it would be if less fortunate patients (perhaps our comrades, or their families) could be saved if someone voluntarily donated organs after death/brain death. Thank you everyone, my comrades, for joining me in this noble act!”
Fulfilling his noble wish, the happy veteran said: “I am fortunate to have survived the wars, fortunate to have lived under the care and love of my family and the concern of society, the Party, and the State. Therefore, I want to do something to thank this life. After signing the organ donation form, I feel fulfilled and very happy, feeling like I am sacrificing myself once again for something good. When I pass away, another life for the next generation will have the opportunity to begin. Perhaps that is why, after registering to donate organs, I feel healthier and more conscious of taking care of my health. I cherish and preserve my body parts so that they can still serve their purpose in the future.”
As one of the 106 people who registered to donate organs at the organ coordination and transplantation unit of Nghe An Friendship General Hospital, the story of Ms. TAN (born in 1987, Vinh City) moved and impressed the counseling staff.
“Exactly two years ago at this time, I was saved after a crucial surgery, overcoming major life events. As a brain tumor patient, I witnessed so much pain, loss, and agonizing deaths. I even considered giving up, but when I truly faced the brink of death, I deeply understood the sacred meaning of life, learned to cherish time, and appreciated the opportunity to be born. During my 10 days in the hospital after surgery, I yearned to do something to show my gratitude to this life. That's why, after recovering, the first thing I did was proactively find and register for a program.”organ donation"This made me feel incredibly relieved and happy," shared Ms. TAN (Vinh City).
Throughout the conversation about her decision, Ms. N. broke down in tears many times, but not once did this young mother, who is caring for four young children and an elderly mother, complain about her fate. She is grateful for the events that helped change her attitude towards life, grateful that life gave her the opportunity to "give back"...
