Stranger Donated Kidney After Meeting at a Party, English mother-of-two donates kidney to dying Lao woman Options

[planxty]

English Mother-of-two Donates Kidney to Dying Lao Woman


Friends for life: Manoly Viravong (left) and Veronica Buttigieg who donated her kidney to her

By Rebecca Evans Daily Mail 29th December 2011
I owe my life to a total stranger: Women met for the first time at a party and within minutes, one had offered to donate her kidney to the other

* Patient's brother had travelled from Laos to UK to donate kidney but pulled out at last minute
* I knew God was telling me to do this, says Christian donor
* Mother-of-two donated kidney on her 31st wedding anniversary

It was a chat with a stranger at a party that saved Manoly Viravong’s life.
The mother of two, who had been waiting for a kidney transplant for five years, struck up a conversation with Veronica Buttigieg, a friend of a friend she had never spoken to before.
The talk turned to health and Mrs Viravong’s disappointment that her brother had decided against donating one of his kidneys to her.
But Mrs Buttigieg, 53, did more than just politely sympathise. Over the clink of glasses and chatter of the other guests, she made an amazing offer.
‘Why not have one of my kidneys?,’ she asked.
Two months later, the operation took place and Mrs Viravong, 45, is well on the way to recovery.
Mrs Buttigieg, who lives with her husband Mario, 54, a painter and decorator, said she would happily donate again if she could.
‘I barely knew Manoly but after talking to her and hearing of how desperate she was, I felt it was the right thing to do,’ she said.
Mrs Viravong, who has suffered from kidney problems for 18 years, is still astonished at her good fortune.
‘I did not know Veronica very well at all. We have a mutual friend and I had seen her at social gatherings a handful of times but we had never really talked,’ she recalled.
‘Shortly after arriving at the party, which was a friend’s 40th wedding anniversary, she offered me her kidney. Just in a really casual way.
‘I thought that she was joking, so I just said thank you. But then I realised that she was serious.
‘I asked her if she was really sure, and she said she was positive. Two days later she had gone to the hospital to be tested to see if we were compatible.
‘When I found out we were a match I was stunned. I just couldn’t believe it.’
The women both live in Leigh-on-Sea, Essex, and the operations took place in July, on the first day of the school summer holidays, so Mrs Buttigieg, who teaches sick children at Basildon Hospital, could be back at work in time for classes to resume.
Her husband and sons Richard, 20, and Robert, 22, supported her decision, although they became increasingly anxious as the operation neared.
‘Mario is used to me,’ Mrs Buttigieg said.
‘When I offered Manoly my kidney, she turned to him and asked if it was all right. He simply said “if that is what she would like to do”.’
As the operation loomed, the family became more concerned, aware that any type of surgery involving a general anaesthetic always carries a risk.
‘We all knew there was a chance I could die,’ Mrs Buttigieg said matter-of-factly.
‘But I wasn’t worried at all. I am a Christian and I felt that God said it was right. I had a real peace about it because I knew it was what God wanted me to do. I felt completely calm.’
Since the operation in July, the women have become the closest of friends.
Mrs Viravong, who is originally from Laos, is well enough to consider reopening the Thai restaurant she used to run with husband Sene, but closed due to her ill health.
She has two teenage children, Viumee, 18, and Sam, 16, and is relishing every moment with her family. ‘It has been wonderful. I have got my life back,’ she said.
‘For two years I had endured eight hours of dialysis a night and my kidneys were deteriorating. My life expectancy was very short – it would have killed me ultimately.
‘I had been feeling very low because my brother had changed his mind about giving me his kidney, yet here was a virtual stranger offering to do an amazing, wonderful, selfless thing for me.
‘I can’t really thank her enough. We are very close now, like sisters. I’m really grateful to her and I count my blessings every day.’
As they waited at the Royal London Hospital before surgery, Mrs Viravong kept asking her new friend if she was definitely sure.
‘She said she was positive but she just wanted them to get on with it.
‘After that it was a few days before we could talk to each other again.
‘When I saw her, I just cried and cried. We held each other and I told her how grateful I was.’
By the time of the transplant, Mrs Viravong’s kidneys were functioning at just 10 per cent of their capacity.
They remain inside her body, along with the transplanted organ.
Mrs Buttigieg is back at work, going to the gym and coping perfectly well with one kidney.
Although her safety net is gone if ever she develops kidney problems of her own, she is adamant that she has done the right thing.
She said: ‘I have no regrets and I would do it again tomorrow.’

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/health/article-...y-Viravong.html

This post has been edited by planxty: Jan 5 2012, 02:43 PM

[JajaBing1]

Wow such amazing article! We need people like this around the world since now a days. That is all, but gone. My god watch over these two stranger and give them a second hope again.

[Buddhalove]

Applause.

[serpent]

Amazing story. Veronica Buttigieg's awesomeness is her kindness. And it's free of charge....

Don't mind the "charge" thing, Kungfu Panda haunts me still. I know people who give away their personal belongings without much thoughts, but to donate one of your kidneys? Whoa!!!!!

Her compassion reveals her great Buddha nature. May 2012 bring joy and peace to both Manoly Viravong and Veronica Buttigieg. May they live long and stay healthy.

[Tiger888]

^
I agree! I cannot believe she did that! In Laotian nature. He is well respected to save a life of a stranger. I wish we can all get to know her story and what she felt for giving her kidney away! I wish her a happy life, then before because something like this is a biggest thing in Lao culture.

[serpent]

^
I have always admired the immense generosity of Tai people. Have you seen the latest poll by the British charity organization concerning world ranking of the generosity of countries of the world yet? To save you the trouble, Laos ranked 9th and Thailand ranked 10th or something like that . I think this is due to the very Buddhist nature of Tai people. I guess His Holiness the 14th Dalai Lama smiled when he saw the stats. His Holiness teaches that love and compassion are what this world need, and it seems Tai people have them in abundance.

I checked Vietnam's standing on the list and I am too embarrassed to say where my people stand. In this particular area my people needs to be more like our neighbours, not the ones north of us of course their ranking is embarrassing as well.