Tzu Chi Marrow Donor Registry's 297th
donor
(Translated by Linda Leu, Northern California)
On the morning of August 1, the Tzu Chi
Marrow Donor Registry's 297th donor joined the morning assembly
of volunteers in the Abode of Still Thoughts and received
the gratitude and blessings of Master Cheng Yen. She was the
first aboriginal donor, and her matched marrow was sent to
Hong Kong. To a native of Taiwan, it was an extraordinarily
meaningful act. While preparing for the donation, the donor,
having felt the Great Love of Tzu Chi, expressed her willingness
to take on the responsibility of promoting bone marrow donation
among the aboriginal community.
By five in the evening of July 31, Tzu Chi
completed its 297th bone marrow donation, and its 183rd overseas
donation, for a 35-year-old male recipient in Hong Kong. The
donor was a 23-year-old woman who on this same day completed
the first full month of her apprenticeship as an elementary
school teacher. She is also the first donor from the aboriginal
Rukai tribe.
She successfully completed her donation
at the Tzu Chi General Hospital, and on August 1 she went
to the morning assembly at the Abode of Still Thoughts, where
Master Cheng Yen presented her with a red envelope of money
(symbolizing wishes for good fortune and wisdom), a set of
mantra beads, and a jade pennant, along with her best wishes
for the young woman's increased wisdom, fortune and good health.
The Master also expressed concern for the donor's health,
reminding her again not to lift heavy objects or engage in
strenuous activity in the coming days.
At the morning assembly, the donor observed
that when she had her blood tested at the beginning of January
this year, she never thought that she would be successfully
matched with a patient in such a short period of time. Therefore
upon receiving the news, she felt fortunate to be in the tiny
percentage of people who are matched. Furthermore, it was
so incredible that her marrow was sent to Hong Kong that it
was difficult for her to express her emotions in words. She
also emphasized that many aborigines would feel honored to
help save the lives of others, and thus she was willing to
take on the responsibility of promoting bone marrow donation
for Tzu Chi among other aborigines.
She remarked that when she was notified
that she was a match, she was very careful to maintain her
physical health: her body was not just hers anymore, but her
health also affected the life of another person. Thus when
she came to Hualien for her health exam, she was both anxious
and excited as the donation date came closer and closer. She
worried that if she did not pass the physical exam, she would
not be able to donate her marrow. Fortunately, everything
went according to her wishes.
The donor said that throughout this process,
it was not gentle sentiment, but the powerful Great Love of
Tzu Chi volunteers that truly moved her, enfolded her, and
gave her confidence. Originally, they'd planned to draw 500
cc of her blood as a backup for herself, but they found that
her hemoglobin count was too low and postponed it. She was
extremely worried about this. Soon after that, Tzu Chi marrow
donor special care team member Su Hsiu-hua heard about the
situation and immediately prepared herbal tonics to help the
donor supplement her health. In fact, after just one week,
she was plump and healthy, and a second blood test revealed
an increase in her hemoglobin. After successfully drawing
backup blood, the donor said that her relationship with Hsiu-hua
was like that of mother and daughter, because she cared for
the donor so attentively. Master Cheng Yen then suggested
that they continue to support each other like mother and daughter.
