On 26/5, a representative from Viet Duc Hospital in Hanoi announced that a 19-year-old girl, who had been ill since grade 6 and undergone two brain surgeries, donated her organs. Her selfless act provided new opportunities for six patients, with her heart used for one patient, her liver divided to save an adult and a child, and her two kidneys giving a chance at life to two individuals suffering from end-stage renal failure. Additionally, the medical team harvested her lungs and corneas, offering hope to many other patients awaiting transplants.

Throughout her childhood, despite prolonged treatments and frequent hospital stays, the girl maintained an optimistic spirit. She would often ask her parents to return to school after just two weeks of recovery from each operation, demonstrating her resilience and determination.

As her condition deteriorated, leaving her body exhausted, she repeatedly told her mother about her desire to donate organs to those desperately awaiting a chance at life. “Even though one eye was blurry after surgery, she was determined to give her good eye to someone else,” her mother recounted, highlighting her daughter's unwavering commitment to helping others.

When doctors informed the family that her condition was incurable, her parents suppressed their grief to fulfill their daughter's dying wish. The mother expressed her belief that by leaving a part of her body to help many lives revive, her daughter would continue to be present in the world.

Relatives bid farewell to the girl before her organ donation. *Photo: Kim Oanh*

The girl's donation, along with organs from two other brain-dead donors last week, enabled Viet Duc Hospital to achieve a new record. The hospital successfully performed 21 organ transplants in a single week, marking the highest number of transplants in its history and including many complex transplant types.

Of the 21 organ recipients, 19 received organs from the three brain-dead donors. These included five liver transplants (two for pediatric patients), two heart transplants, one lung transplant, 10 kidney transplants, and one trachea transplant. The remaining three patients received kidney transplants from living donors.

Organ transplantation stands as one of humanity's most significant medical achievements since the 20th century, often being the only life-saving option for end-stage patients. To date, Vietnam has performed nearly 10,000 transplants involving six types of human organs. The expertise of Vietnamese medical teams in organ transplantation is approaching the level of developed nations. Currently, there are about 30 organ transplant centers nationwide licensed by the Ministry of Health.

More than 177,000 people nationwide have registered to donate tissues and organs after death. In 2025, there were 66 brain-dead organ donors, a significant increase compared to previous years.

Le Nga