A Heart-Wrenching Choice: A Mother’s Kidney Donation Dilemma

A heart-wrenching decision faced Lian Ronghua (in English: Lian Ronghua), a Chinese mother who was forced to choose which of her two sons, both suffering from severe kidney failure, she would donate her kidney to. Medical tests ruled out the father as a donor due to his high blood pressure, leaving the 51-year-old mother as the only potential match.

The mother before entering the operating room

But how does one choose between two children, knowing that one will be saved and the other...? For hours, the mother wept, unable to decide to whom she should give her kidney. The decision became even more difficult when her doctor son, Li Haiqing (in English: Li Haiqing), aged 26, urged her to donate the kidney to his younger brother.

The mother with her doctor son (standing on the right). He gave up the donation to save his younger brother

Before the surgery, Ronghua broke into heartbreaking sobs, saying, "I only have one kidney, and I can only save one son. It doesn’t matter to whom I give it, it’s still not fair." The family repeatedly argued over who should receive the kidney, but ultimately it was decided that the younger brother, Li Haisong (in English: Li Haisong), would be saved first.

Young Li Haisong, chosen to receive his mother's kidney