Mother Delays Rare Disease Surgery for Unborn Child, Saves 5 Lives Before Passing Away

"Remembered as a Proud Mom" Decision to Donate Organs

A mother of a 10-year-old and a 15-month-old child gifted new lives to five people through brain-dead organ donation.

Lee Hajin (second from the left), who gifted new lives to five people through brain-dead organ donation and became a star in the sky. [Image source=Korea Organ and Tissue Donation Agency]

On the 26th, the Korea Organ and Tissue Donation Agency announced that Lee Hajin (42), a mother of two children aged 10 and 15 months, donated her left and right kidneys, liver, lungs, and heart as a brain-dead organ donor at Bundang Seoul National University Hospital on the 23rd of last month, saving five lives before passing away. Her family described Lee as an active and warm-hearted person. Born as the second of two daughters, Lee was known to always yield to her autistic older sister and take great care of her.

In 2020, Lee was diagnosed with Moyamoya disease, a condition where blood vessels in the brain narrow. As her symptoms worsened, doctors recommended surgery. However, Lee was pregnant with her second child at the time. Concerned about potential harm to her baby, she postponed the surgery and underwent it in December last year, after her child had passed the first birthday. After two weeks of recovery at a nursing hospital, she was discharged but then suffered a severe case of the flu. On the early morning of the 17th of last month, she suddenly showed symptoms of cerebral hemorrhage. Lee was rushed to the hospital and underwent emergency surgery but did not regain consciousness and fell into a brain-dead state.

Lee’s husband, Kim Dongin, said that his late wife had a positive attitude toward organ donation during her lifetime and that he consented to the donation hoping their young children would remember their mother proudly. Kim said, "I hope you live comfortably without pain in heaven. I will raise the kids well, so don’t worry and watch over us peacefully. Take care and I love you." Their 10-year-old son, Kim Minjae, also said his final farewell to his mother: "I was so happy when we went to the mart or park together... When I was riding in the car going to the hospital, I thought of you a lot, Mom. I will get along well with my little brother, so please live well in heaven too. I love you."

Moon Inseong, director of the Korea Organ and Tissue Donation Agency, said, "We sincerely thank the donor who has become an angel in heaven and the donor’s family for their noble decision to practice life-sharing. We also hope that the five transplant recipients who received new lives through the donor will help create a warm world together."

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.