Ms. Tô Thị Thắm (Khánh Thủy commune, Yên Khánh district) has suffered from a corneal disease since she was 12 years old. As she grew up, she found someone who loved and understood her, and they married. The young couple had two children. For many years, Ms. Thắm has personally cared for her children, blinded by the dim light. She has never stopped yearning to see everything, her loved ones, and the hustle and bustle of life… But that remains a distant dream.
But then a miracle happened. In 2019, Ms. Tham received her first corneal transplant. In 2020, she received another corneal transplant in her other eye. When the doctor removed the bandage after the corneal transplant surgery, the first image Ms. Tham saw was her husband and two young children. Her children had grown up, beautiful and well-behaved, and Ms. Tham could continue to pursue her dream of building a happy family and raising good children with her husband, now possessing bright, clear, and sharp eyesight.
"I have seen life again thanks to the donated corneas from a kind person. My life has turned a new page, bright, optimistic, and beautiful. I will try to live the most meaningful and happiest life possible to repay the noble hearts of those who have passed away. I hope that, with the noble deeds of those who have passed away, many more people with corneal diseases will be able to find their sight like me," Thắm said emotionally.
The story of Ms. Tham's journey in search of light, and her heartfelt confessions, deeply moved many families whose loved ones donated corneas at the "Noble Deeds of Corneal Donors" ceremony, organized by the Ministry of Health , the Central Eye Hospital, in coordination with the Provincial People's Committee and the Kim Son District People's Committee. Among them was Mr. Dinh Van Hai from Kim Dong commune, one of the representatives of families whose loved ones donated corneas and were honored on this occasion.
Hai recounted: "Since learning he had cancer, my father had expressed a wish to donate his corneas after his death. That was his wish, but because there are five siblings in the family, fulfilling it required discussion and agreement. Thanks to the timely efforts of the local Red Cross Society, my siblings and I have all agreed. With my father's corneas, I hope to have a new life reborn. I will also register to donate my corneas in the near future."
According to data from the National Eye Hospital, tens of thousands of people in Vietnam are currently living in blindness due to corneal diseases. These unfortunate individuals will remain blind if they do not receive corneal transplants.
Associate Professor, Dr. Pham Ngoc Dong, Deputy Director of the National Eye Hospital, stated: Corneal transplantation, which helps those unfortunate enough to go blind due to corneal diseases regain their sight, has been performed for a long time both globally and in Vietnam. However, the biggest challenge is the limited supply of corneas for surgery. The number of corneas the National Eye Hospital receives annually is still insufficient to meet the number of patients awaiting transplantation. This is a common difficulty worldwide and especially in Vietnam – where the prejudiced belief of "living with the whole body intact" has been deeply ingrained in people's minds for centuries. However, thanks to effective public awareness campaigns, more people have participated in cornea donation in recent times.
Since April 5, 2007, following the first corneal donation in the country by Mrs. Nguyen Thi Hoa from Con Thoi commune, Kim Son district, over 963 people from 20 provinces and cities nationwide have donated corneas. Ninh Binh province leads the country with nearly 500 donors. In Kim Son district alone, 417 people have donated corneas. In December 2023 alone, out of 4 cornea donation cases nationwide, Ninh Binh province accounted for 1.
With the results achieved, Ninh Binh province in general, and Kim Son district in particular, have become a shining example, leading the country in the corneal donation movement. Mr. Nguyen Cao Son, Vice Chairman of the People's Committee of Kim Son district, said: To acquire the knowledge to promote and encourage corneal donation, the locality has coordinated with the Vietnam Eye Bank to organize training courses to improve knowledge and communication skills for thousands of volunteers. Among these volunteers are priests, church leaders, Catholic dignitaries, and Buddhist monks and nuns in the district.
In addition, the District Red Cross regularly organizes awareness campaigns and encourages corneal donation after death through the district and commune radio systems, as well as incorporating these campaigns into community meetings. Furthermore, Red Cross volunteers visit households to educate and advise residents about the humanitarian significance of the program, and to address concerns regarding organ donation, including corneal donation.
The district Red Cross also assigned volunteers to specific residential areas, thoroughly understanding target groups such as the elderly and those with serious illnesses, in order to develop appropriate approaches and methods to regularly engage with and share the difficulties and obstacles related to corneal donation with their families. Through various forms of communication, people understood the profound humanitarian significance of the program, leading to enthusiastic participation and encouraging their children and grandchildren to join as well.
From 2007 to the present, Kim Son district has successfully encouraged over 12,000 people to register to donate their corneas after death. Currently, 417 people have successfully donated corneas, providing a precious source of light to hundreds of blind people, allowing them to see normally like everyone else, bringing joy and happiness to themselves, their families, and the community. Outstanding units that have done well in promoting and encouraging cornea donation include: Con Thoi, Van Hai, Kim My, Dinh Hoa, Kim Tan, and Kim Dinh communes…
Dao Hang-Minh Quang
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