DistantNews
Support us
🇹🇼 Taiwan /Health & Science

Taiwanese Man's Second Chance: Lung Transplant Offers Hope Amid Donor Shortage

From Liberty Times · () Chinese

Translated from Chinese, summarized and contextualized by DistantNews.

At a glance

News Named sources Context piece
  • A 28-year-old Taiwanese man, who faced a critical lung failure after a bone marrow transplant, received a life-saving lung transplant at age 24.
  • He shared his story at an organ donation memorial concert, emphasizing the importance of organ donation and thanking his donor's family.
  • Taiwan faces a significant organ donor shortage, with over 12,000 people on the waiting list, despite strict laws against organ trading.

A life transformed by the selfless act of organ donation was shared by 28-year-old Lai Bing-cheng, who received a life-saving lung transplant. His journey began at age 20 with a diagnosis of myelodysplastic syndrome, a bone marrow disorder. After a stem cell transplant at 22, he suffered severe complications that led to critical lung failure.

"At that time, the doctor even asked the family to come and say their last goodbyes," Lai recalled. Facing a grim prognosis and the prospect of moving to a hospice, hope arrived just a day before his planned transfer. At 24, he received a lung transplant, a second chance at life that allowed him to breathe again and plan for the future.

At that time, the doctor even asked the family to come and say their last goodbyes.

— Lai Bing-chengLai Bing-cheng recounting the critical stage of his illness before receiving a lung transplant.

Lai shared his experience at the "Remember Me, Sound of Life" organ donation memorial concert in Taipei, an event organized by the Organ Donation and Patient Autonomy Promotion Center. He expressed profound gratitude to his donor and their family for their "most precious gift," a decision made during their most difficult time. His story aims to encourage more people to understand and consider organ donation.

Despite the life-saving impact of transplants, Taiwan faces a persistent shortage of organ donors. According to Liu Yueh-ping, director-general of the Ministry of Health and Welfare's Bureau of Medical Affairs, between 12,000 and 13,000 people are on the waiting list annually. While organ donation numbers saw a peak of nearly 600 in 2023, they have slightly declined, with around 500 expected this year. Liu emphasized that organ transplantation remains the most stable and effective treatment for many patients with end-stage organ failure and urged for greater societal support. She also reiterated that Taiwan strictly prohibits organ trading, with robust legal and management systems in place to ensure the fairness and legitimacy of the organ transplant system.

This is the most precious gift of my life.

— Lai Bing-chengLai Bing-cheng expressing his gratitude for the organ transplant.
DistantNews Editorial

Originally published by Liberty Times in Chinese. Translated, summarized, and contextualized by our editorial team with added local perspective. Read our editorial standards.

More Stories

From Our Blog