A mother’s profound love led her to donate her 20-year-old daughter's organs, including her heart—the 163rd donated heart—finding comfort that her daughter’s passing helped save others’ lives.
On 22 Mar 2016 GMT+7, social media widely shared a touching story posted by the Facebook pages “Public Relations, Ban Pong Hospital” and “Traffic Police Royal Project, Traffic Police Division,” featuring images and videos of the mission delivering the 163rd donated heart from Ban Pong Hospital in Ratchaburi Province to Siriraj Hospital.Read news: The mission to save lives delivering the 163rd donated heart from Ratchaburi to Siriraj Hospital within 50 minutes.)
The family of Ms. Ratchanan Kaewmok, or Nong Cream, age 20, who suffered brain death after an accident, kindly agreed to donate her organs—including heart, liver, and both kidneys—to the Thai Red Cross Organ Donation Center for transplantation to patients awaiting organs, giving them a new chance at life.
In the video, after the surgical team completed the operation, staff swiftly transported the organs by emergency ambulance to Siriraj Hospital to deliver them to waiting patients. Police Lieutenant Colonel Thossaporn Kleebkaew, deputy commander of Traffic Police Division 5, along with traffic police from the Royal Project, highway police, and Ban Pong traffic police, led the convoy through heavy Sunday evening traffic. Covering 76 kilometers in 50 minutes, the delivery impressed and earned praise from many onlookers.
At 12:00 on 23 Mar 2016 GMT+7, Dr. Wiboon Phattanapadikon, director of Ban Pong Hospital, together with executives, doctors, and nurses, presented a wreath from the Thai Red Cross Organ Donation Center and Ban Pong Hospital, along with badges and certificates of appreciation, to Ms. Thitapa Kaewmok, Nong Cream’s mother, and family to honor and pay tribute to the organ donor.
Mrs. Sirisuk Tiankham, a specialist nurse and member of the Organ Donation Service Plan team, revealed that Nong Cream was admitted to Ban Pong Hospital after a severe head injury in an accident on the night of 20 Mar 2016 GMT+7. She was declared brain dead. Initially, the family struggled to accept the sudden loss, but after clear explanations that "brain death" is legally death and that the body would be respectfully cared for and preserved as if sleeping, the family felt confident and agreed to donate the organs.
“The moment our team saw the heart safely arrive at its destination and witnessed the recipient’s relative bowing in thanks, all involved staff felt proud and deeply moved. This mission delivering the 163rd donated heart was Ban Pong Hospital’s first,” she said.
Ms. Thitapa Kaewmok, Nong Cream’s mother, said that although she was saddened to learn from the medical team that her daughter would not recover, she accepted the reality. She had studied organ donation and believes it is the greatest merit one can make. She is confident this good deed will help her daughter attain a better afterlife.
While her daughter’s heart was hurriedly delivered to its recipient, the only thing she could do was wave farewell proudly. Seeing a woman—likely a relative of the organ recipient—come out to express thanks moved her deeply. She felt fulfilled and blessed that her daughter’s passing gave others a chance to live.
She also saw another family beginning a new life and wished to convey to the recipient of her daughter’s heart: “Now my daughter’s heart beats in someone else’s body; I hope they use it to create merit and do good.”
Additionally, Ms. Thitapa expressed to her daughter: “I love you very much. In the next life, may you be born in a happy place. Even though we will no longer meet, you will always remain in my heart and feelings.”
Nong Cream’s body will lie in state for merit-making at Wat Khok Phra Charoen, Pak Tho District, Ratchaburi Province, with cremation scheduled for Wednesday, 25 Mar 2016 GMT+7 at 16:00. Afterwards, the family will scatter her ashes in Chachoengsao Province.
Dr. Wiboon Phattanapadikon, director of Ban Pong Hospital, explained that with increasing numbers of end-stage chronic patients, despite medical advances and modern treatments, no technology can replace human organs. Organ transplantation remains one of the most effective treatments. Thousands of patients are registered and waiting in hope, but only a few hundred or thousand have expressed a true intention to donate.
A single donor’s body can provide tremendous benefit. If brain dead but the heart still beats, organs such as heart, lungs, liver, pancreas, and kidneys—as well as tissues, corneas, blood vessels, and heart valves—can be immediately transplanted to save lives. If fully deceased, the body still serves as a “grand teacher” for medical students, nurses, and healthcare personnel to study anatomy, helping them save lives in the future.