Organ donors inspire others to follow suit(3)

Major battlefield

Yang Hao, the son of Yang Hongping, and a relative sign the agreement to donate the body of Yang's father for medical research. (Provided to China Daily)

Zhang Dingyu, a doctor who has amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, or ALS, recently decided to donate his body for ALS research. Also known as Lou Gehrig's disease, after the baseball player who was diagnosed with it, ALS is a progressive nervous system disease that affects nerve cells in the brain and spinal cord, causing loss of muscle control.

Zhang, 59, was diagnosed with ALS in 2018, but this didn't stop him helping at Wuhan Jinyintan Hospital in Hubei province, one of the major battlefields as COVID-19 struck the city in early 2020.Zhang treated and saved more than 2,800 patients with COVID-19 in Wuhan, many of whom were severely or critically ill.

In September 2020, he became one of the recipients of the national honorary title "People's Hero "for his outstanding contributions to the nation's fight against COVID-19.

Zhang didn't tell his family in advance about his donation decision, which he considers to be "a very simple idea".

"I am an ALS patient, and donating my body will help medical workers carry out research into this disease," he said.

Zhang said he was initially scared when he was diagnosed with ALS, but he has come to terms with it. "Man is born to die... and because I can't change this fact, I have to face it honestly. As I can't prolong time or the length of life, why not play my part in making life a little fuller?" he said.

Zhang's decision attracted widespread public admiration, helping focus the spotlight more acutely on organ donation.

Netizen Jin Ming said Zhang's love knows no bounds, adding, "He has enabled me to learn that donating your body is a different extension of life, and is very meaningful."

In April 2019, Xia Suisheng, a professor at Tongji Hospital and an organ transplant pioneer in China, had his wish fulfilled when his corneas were transplanted to two patients, who subsequently regained their sight.

Li Guigang, chief ophthalmologist at Tongji Hospital affiliated with Tongji Medical College at Huazhong University of Science and Technology in Wuhan, said: "Xia's leadership has encouraged more people to donate, which will improve the shortage of organ transplant donors nationwide. We are especially moved by and proud of Professor Xia."

Chen Zhishui, head of the hospital's organ transplant research institute, said there is still a big shortfall in organ supply, as there are now more patients who require such donations.