On 6/3, immediately upon receiving news of Huong's passing, a team from the Tissue Bank at Hanoi Eye Hospital 2 traveled hundreds of kilometers to the coastal region of Hai Hau, Ninh Binh. Medical specialists raced against time to retrieve the corneas within the critical 6 to 8-hour window after the donor's death. There, the family, despite their grief, provided every facility to allow the medical staff to fully honor the young woman's final wish.

The retrieved corneas were stored in preservation bottles, awaiting transplant. Photo: Thuy Duong

Previously, when she learned her illness had entered its terminal stage and there was no longer hope, Huong proactively contacted the Tissue Bank to register as an organ donor. When medical staff brought the registration card to her home, she expressed her wish to give sight to others, hoping to inspire similar acts of kindness. She believed this act of giving would bring blessings to her family and those around her.

Phan Duc Tam, a staff member at the Tissue Bank, stated that the team completed the professional procedure quickly. Medical technicians removed only a thin membrane from the front of the eyeball, which did not affect the deceased's facial aesthetics. Immediately afterward, medical staff transported the two corneas to Hanoi and placed them into a nutrient system. Unlike organs such as the heart or liver, which require immediate transplantation, the tissue bank can preserve corneal membranes for several weeks before surgery for patients.

Experts consider corneal transplantation the only and most effective method to restore vision for patients with severe eye damage. Despite significant demand, the current supply of donated organs remains highly limited. Vietnam currently records about 300,000 blind individuals waiting to regain their sight, yet from 2007 until now, hospitals have successfully performed just over 3,000 surgeries.

Le Nga