The first Ninh Binh person to donate body to science

With the wish that even if he passes away, he will leave a special gift for life, Mr. Phan Van Phien in Nhat Tan street, Tan Thanh ward, Ninh Binh city, registered early to donate his body to science if he unfortunately passed away. And on a sad day at the end of June 2024, Mr. Phien returned to his ancestors, leaving a gift for life as he had always wished.

The small house of Mr. Phan Van Nghenh's family - Phien's father - is located humbly on Cu Chinh Lan street. These days, the locality, the residential group, and neighbors often come to visit, offer condolences, and express gratitude for Phan Van Phien's noble act for life.

Mr. and Mrs. Nghenh had two children, of which Phien was the eldest, followed by a younger sister who had her own family. Phien did not get married and lived with his parents. Over the past two months, Phien fell ill and had to receive long-term treatment at the Provincial General Hospital. In the end, he could not overcome his illness and passed away at the age of 50. In his last letter to his family, Phien expressed his remorse for not being filial to his parents. Phien also left a will to donate his body to medicine. He registered this wish with Hanoi Medical University in 2019, but kept it a secret from his family. Therefore, the whole family was surprised and a bit embarrassed when faced with his will.

Mr. Nghenh was moved: Old age, poor health, every parent only wishes to live together with their children and grandchildren. But our only son has passed away, the pain cannot be expressed in words. At first, when faced with his wishes in the will, I could not bear it, because deep in my heart as a father, I want my son to have a peaceful grave. But in the end, the family members met and encouraged each other to fulfill the last noble wish for their son because it is also a very meaningful thing for life. We contacted and Hanoi Medical University came to receive Phien's donated body. Although I am very painful because of my son's sudden passing, I am proud of my son.

Previously, at 9:00 a.m. on June 24, 2024, the representative of the Department of Anatomy, Hanoi Medical University received the donated body of Mr. Phan Van Phien at Ninh Binh General Hospital. Mr. Phien passed away on June 23, 2024, at the age of 50. While still alive, Mr. Phien registered to donate his body at Hanoi Medical University and was issued a body donation registration card number 201905010 on December 31, 2019.

Representatives of the Department of Anatomy completed the procedures to receive the donated body of Mr. Phan Van Phien.

A representative of the Department of Anatomy, Hanoi Medical University said: Lecturers and medical students in the country and around the world always need to study and research on real human bodies to be able to accumulate enough knowledge to participate in disease prevention, treatment and improve human health. Therefore, human bodies are an indispensable part of medical universities, including Hanoi Medical University. How touching it is when in reality, many people have passed away but have left behind a priceless gift for life, which is their own body to give to science. A life gone but is the beginning of a new life to germinate.

During his lifetime, Mr. Phien and his family made a decision that went beyond the usual limits, which was to donate his body to medicine. From then on, Mr. Phien became one of the first teachers of doctors and medical students, silently contributing to the development of medicine, in the cause of taking care of people's health. "Life originates from death, happiness is formed from sacrifices", that is the profound and humane meaning of donating the body to medicine.

In response to the noble gesture of Mr. Phien during his lifetime and his family, the Provincial Red Cross Society, representatives of the City Red Cross Society, Tan Thanh Ward Red Cross Society, and representatives of the residential area, on behalf of humanitarian workers, visited, expressed condolences, and burned incense to express gratitude for the gesture of Mr. Phan Van Phien.

Mr. Bui Trong Ky, Chairman of the Provincial Red Cross Society, was moved to say: Ninh Binh is the leading locality in the country in the number of corneal organ donors as well as organ donors after death. In 2007, Mrs. Nguyen Thi Hoa in Con Thoi commune, Kim Son district volunteered to donate her cornea. This was the first case in the province as well as in Vietnam of voluntary corneal donation, a turning point opening up the future for patients waiting for corneal transplants.

In the first 6 months of 2024, 12 people donated corneas; 146 people registered to donate tissues and organs. Up to now, the whole province has 15,602 people registered to donate tissues and organs; 471 people donated corneas (of which Kim Son district has 450 cornea donors) and 3 people donated tissues and organs. And today, we have witnessed the extremely noble act of Mr. Phan Van Phien and his family. Mr. Phien is also the first case in Ninh Binh province to donate his body to medicine after passing away.

Life will not stop when we close our eyes and pass away, but life will continue to be lit by those who have bravely dedicated themselves to science after passing away like Mr. Phan Van Phien.

Dao Hang-Minh Quang

Source: https://baoninhbinh.org.vn/nguoi-ninh-binh-dau-tien-hien-xac-cho-khoa-hoc/d2024062512364110.htm