At St Nicholas Children’s Hospital of the First Medical Association of Lviv, an emotional meeting took place: the parents of a 10-year-old girl who died in a road accident and became a donor met for the first time 12-year-old Nazar, who received her heart.
The girl’s family took a long time to decide on this meeting, as they knew that the boy had been in an extremely critical condition for a long period. Despite their own grief, the parents agreed to donate their daughter’s organs, giving several people a chance at life, including Nazar.
The last three years have been a real test for the boy: first he overcame leukaemia, and later he suffered a severe case of pneumonia. The illness seriously damaged his heart, which was growing weaker by the day, and medication was no longer working. The only option left was a heart transplant.
After the operation, Nazar’s condition improved: he now smiles, dreams, makes plans for the future and is returning to an ordinary childhood. A healthy donor heart is beating in his chest.
The girl’s mother said that the hardest step for them was making the phone call to find out how the boy was doing, but they very much hoped that their decision would help him survive. She also noted that Nazar and their daughter turned out to have similar interests — both love singing and building with construction sets.
The First Medical Association of Lviv reminds everyone that the Transplantation Centre of this institution has been the national leader in Ukraine for the number of transplants performed for five years in a row. During this time, hundreds of patients have been given the chance of a full life thanks to organ transplantation.