Seven-year-old An became the second-youngest person to donate a cornea in the country so far. Her donation touched and inspired many others to register for organ donation. — Photo Thuy Duong Nguyen Tran Facebook

Two years after An died of a rare disease, Tran Nguyen Thuy Duong, An’s mother, decided to have her daughter’s story featured in a film to encourage organ donations among others.

“I face the pain and accept to continue the path for An to fulfill her mission and bring hope for others,” the 35-year-old mother said.

Điều Con Chưa Nói (Things I Haven’t Told You) was premiered on June 1. The characters in the film are all performed by actors.

An suffered from astrocytomas, a rare disease in children, and passed away in February 2018. After her death, following her wish, Duong and her family had her corneas donated to Vietnam National Co-ordinating Centre for Human Organ Transplantation to give light to other sight-impaired.

An’s corneas were then transplanted to two people, including a 73-year-old person and a 42-year-old person after consultation with the hospital’s doctors. The 73-year-old person has cornea scarring and the 42-year-old was born with a cataract.

An became the second-youngest person to donate a cornea in the country so far. Her donation touched and inspired many others to register for organ donation.

At her funeral, then Health Minister Nguyen Thi Kim Tien bid farewell to the seven-year-old girl, saying: “She has realised an unbelievable thing.”

Over the past two years, Duong still preserves every photo and video of An.

"The nostalgia and the loneliness that filled my heart seemed insurmountable. But it is the messages and all the good things that An has left for me that encourage me to strongly stand up and walk on. I need to continue to help my child to fulfill her wish to bring more beautiful things to life,” she said.

As revealed by a representative of the film’s producers, MHC media& Entertainment, their biggest concern after finishing the script was recalling the great pain of the family.

However, the film has received Duong’s consent due to the humane meaning that it is expected to evoke.

“It is a gift for not only An, a brave and lovely angel, but also for other children fighting against cancer and the parents accompanying them to get through the pain. I hope that everyone will be happy and stay strong to overcome such pain. Time with our children is greatly precious,” she wrote on her Facebook page.  VNS

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