He is blind, but he is only in his early 30s. And he had a
chance of regaining his eyesight, even if only slightly, as long as
he had his corneas.
But that didn't stop Shi Qiqiang from donating his left cornea
so that a little girl named Miao Miao could have a healthy pair of
eyes.
Shi thus didn't only become the first live cornea donor in
China, but also inspired Miao Miao's mother, Liao Jun, to donate
her corneas after death. And many other residents of Hangzhou in
east China's Zhejiang Province have followed her.
Technically speaking, Shi could get back his eyesight if a cure
for the disease that afflicts him is found because his right eye is
still intact.
Two-year-old Miao Miao couldn't have expected a better New Year
gift as the cornea transplant was carried out successfully in
Hangzhou in the end of December 2006, CCTV reports.
Miao Miao has recovered well at Zhejiang People's Hospital, and
can now grow up like a normal kid.
"Medical science couldn't have cured my eye disease. But my
cornea can help another person see. And none could have been a
better beneficiary than little Miao Miao. This is the greatest deed
I've done in my life," Shi said.
Unlike Miao Miao, Shi was born with normal eyesight and healthy
eyes. But the Hangzhou resident began suffering from a serious eye
disease some years ago.
And two years ago, he became totally blind. "It was a bolt from
the blue. My world turned black. I lost all confidence in myself."
As if blindness was not enough of a curse, Shi's disease relapsed
recently. He began suffering from acute pain in his left eye.
Doctors told him that the only way to save him from the pain was
to remove his left eye. Also, since his cornea was in perfect
condition, it could help another person see.
He hesitated initially, but in late December he decided to
follow the doctors' advice even if that meant foregoing the little
chance he had of seeing again.
Hong Chaoyang, the doctor in charge of the cornea transplant,
was moved by Shi's deed. He said: "I've been a doctor for two
decades but Shi is the first live cornea donor I've seen."
"The greatest factor that motivated Shi was Miao Miao. The
minute Shi heard that a little girl would get his cornea, he began
behaving as if he was the one about to get his eyesight back."
Long wait for donation
Miao Miao was born with a cornea tumor and had been waiting for
a cornea donor for more than a year. Doctors had told her parents
the best time for the cornea transplant was before she reached the
age of three.
Shi has become something of a celebrity in Hangzhou, with many
people visiting him to pay their respects, and others following his
example to donate their corneas after death.
But perhaps his best friend today is Miao Miao. He spent a lot
of time with her in hospital, and like any other girl of her age
she kept asking him all sorts of questions.
More than 2 million people are waiting for cornea transplant in
the country, according to the health department. But hospitals
across the country can carry out only 2,000 to 2,500 cornea
transplants a year because of a serious lack of donors.
"Many people don't want to donate their corneas after death
because according to Chinese tradition a person's body should be
complete even after death," Liu Ping, director of Heilongjiang Eye
Bank, told Xinhua recently. The eye bank has got only a handful of
cornea donors since it was set up in 1999.
"Donation of corneas after death should be promoted across
society, and government officials should take the lead by becoming
volunteer donors," Liu said.
Though China doesn't have a human organ donation regulation to
guide and encourage donations, drivers in countries like the US are
asked whether they want to donate their corneas after death when
they apply for a licence.
(China Daily January 16, 2007)