By Gabriela Baron
A three-year-old boy who died in a drowning incident became the youngest organ donor in the Philippines and the first pedia organ donor at St. Luke’s Medical Center.
In a Facebook post, Ezra’s mother, Jennae Carpio said they decided to donate the organs and tissues of the young boy a day after he was pronounced brain dead for the second time.
Carpio said Ezra’s brain “continued to deteriorate,” while his organs “were healing perfectly.”
“Ezra will live on through others. With the support of our families, we decided to donate viable organs left in his body,” Carpio said.
“Ezra’s kidneys are currently being harvested so that he can allow another person to live longer, and his corneas will allow seven other people to see the beauty of the world. This is the legacy we can give our child, so he lives on in the lives of others through sacrifice and the gift of generosity,” she added.
The retrieval of the donated part was done at the National Kidney and Transplant Institute (NKTI).
Both of Ezra’s kidneys have been transplanted in a 24-year-old recipient and his corneas have been banked at the Eye Bank Foundation of the Philippines.
Carpio said Ezra will be remembered as a “fighter, a brave, strong, kind, generous boy who fought his hardest battle and ultimately won through his generosity and love.”
NKTI’s Human Organ Preservation Effort (HOPE), the hospital’s organ procurement arm, offered their appreciation for the family’s decision.
“We would like to extend our sincerest condolences to the family of our young hero and our heartfelt appreciation for their brave decision. Thank you for your generosity to help others despite the painful loss,” HOPE-NKTI wrote. -ag
