BEIJING: The parents of a young doctor who died in early August chose to donate his organs to allow him to “save lives one last time”, a decision that touched many on Chinese social media.
Luo Sizheng, a young surgeon at Hongji Hospital in southwestern China’s Chongqing municipality, died in a motorcycle accident on Aug 4 when he was travelling to visit his parents. He was 24 years old.
Luo’s mother, surnamed Ma, expressed her sorrow, noting that her son rarely had time off to visit family. When she and Luo’s father rushed to the hospital, they found him in a deep coma. Despite the rescue efforts, Luo unfortunately passed away later.
Ma said it felt like “the end of the world” when she learned that her son could not be saved.
Even amidst their profound grief, Ma and her husband, in Luo’s final moments, discovered the strength to make the selfless decision to donate their son’s organs.
“He was proud of his profession and thought he was truly helping people. We were proud of him, and the donations will be like he is saving lives for the last time,” said Ma.
She expressed that the decision to donate was also made so that their son “will never truly leave us.”
On Aug 11, Ma and her husband signed the donation agreement, enabling the donation of their son’s heart, liver, kidneys, and corneas, bringing hope to five individuals and their families, and ensuring that their son’s legacy continues through the gift of life.
His story has moved many people on the mainland internet.
“I am heartbroken and moved. The ‘angel in white’ has become a real angel,” said one person on mainland short video platform Douyin, referring to the common nickname “angel in white” for doctors and nurses in China.
Another person said: “I salute the young doctor. Both you and your parents are great souls.”
China’s Regulations on Human Organ Donation and Transplantation were revised on May 1.
The new regulations enhance the standards for organ transplantation procedures and impose stricter penalties for malpractice. This updated legislation is designed to foster an environment that encourages more individuals to become volunteer donors.
More than 6.8 million people in China have registered as organ donors, and some 54,000 people have donated their organs as of Sept 7.
China hopes to raise the current annual organ donation rate of 4.6 donations per million people last year to 8 per million in five years, according to the General Office of the National Health Commission.
According to a 2020 article in the journal Therapieforum Transplant, the US averages about 30 organ donations per million people annually, and in Europe, that number is about 20 per million.
Chinese tradition holds that only a burial brings peace to the deceased and that organ donation may disrupt their tranquility. This belief dampens enthusiasm for organ donation, according to the vice president of the Gansu branch of the Red Cross Society in an interview with Xinhua News. - South China Morning Post
