China: Children help mom live an extra 20 years

[Clark]

http://www.chinapost.com.tw/taiwan/national/national-news/2011/10/15/319901/Children-help.htm

Children help mom live an extra 20 years

Two young people in northern Hsinchu City had donated two kidneys and one liver to their own mother enabling her to live 20 more years.

Their acts became known only early this month after their mother, Jian Jing-tze, passed away at the age of 68.

Tsai Jing-yin, wife of Hsinchu Mayor Hsu Ming-tsai, said Jian was an active member of the women's association in the city.

According to Tsai, Jian single-handedly raised a son and daughter after her husband's death. But her health was compromised by hard work. She developed kidney problems 20 years ago.

Jian had persistently refused a proposal from her son and daughter, who competed with each other to donate a kidney to her.

The elder brother eventually had one of his kidneys transplanted for his mother.

Several years later, Jian need another kidney. It was the daughter who provided the needed organ this time.

In March this year, Jian was told by doctors that she had less than a year to live if she did not receive a liver transplant.

The daughter then offered her liver after doctors decided her organ was more fitting for the mother than the brother's.

Unfortunately, Jian passed away recently following the development of complications.

Both the son, Kuo Wen-wei, and his sister, Kuo Shu-yu, said they never regretted offering the vital organs to their mother.

Without the organs, the mother could have left them two decades ago, they said.

Whenever the brother and sister see or touch the long scars on their stomachs, they said they felt that their mother is still not far from them.

Both believed that it was a bargain for them to donate their organs to give their beloved mother another 20 years of life.

Further, it was a right thing to do to give back to one's own parents, they said.

They suggested that people in Taiwan share their organs with others, especially with family and friends.

“It is true love when one helps others to continue living thanks to our love and organs,” they said.