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Doctors Bow To 11-Year-Old Cancer Patient Who Donated Organs

By Dustin Wicksell
Published on: 01:22 PST, Aug 6, 2014

Doctors in China bowed in reverence to an 11-year-old stricken by cancer, showing their utmost respect to a patient who chose to donate his organs on the last day of his life.

Liang Yaoyi, from South China’s Guangdong Province, had been fighting a brain tumor since he was 9 years old. Despite the best efforts of his doctors, they were not able to eliminate the cancer. As Liang neared the end of his fight, IFLScience relates, he told his mother (who can be seen crying in the background of the image) that he wanted to donate his organs so he could save the lives of other children.

“I have seen many people doing good deeds and I think they are great. I want to be a great child too,” Liang told his mother, according to Shanghai Daily. A gifted student, Liang wanted to be a rocket scientist, having read a book on great inventions that his brother bought for him. After being admitted to the hospital, he decided that he wanted to be a doctor, working to cure other children’s illnesses. As it became clear that Liang would not win his fight, however, he revealed his final wishes to his mother.

“Mom, if I die, please donate me,” the young boy told her. His mother said she didn’t understand, but Liang continued, “Donate my organs.” Liang passed away on June 6th, and his mother honored his wishes. Doctors were able to successfully donate both his liver and kidneys to other patients who needed them. Near the end, the doctors were so moved by Liang’s actions that they bowed in reverence three times to show their utmost respect for the young man.

In America, the need for organ donations greatly exceeds the number of donor organs received, as The Inquisitr has previously reported. Just over 42 percent of Americans have signed up to donate organs, despite the fact that nearly 90 percent of the public approves of the practice. Over 100,000 people are on waitlists for donor organs, while another name is added every ten minutes. Eighteen people die every day waiting for a donated organ.

Liang’s teacher pointed out that he may have learned about the possibility of organ donation through school textbooks. He reportedly read a story about bone marrow donation, and another that is titled “Immortal Eyes.”

According to CCTV News, Liang also said that organ donation was a chance for him to be “alive in another way.”

[Image via The Huffington Post]

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