Recipient story

Lim haechul

About five years ago I have received a heart transplant surgery.

After removing my heart that was beating for fifty-five years in my chest, I have received someone else's loving heart and began a new life.

I first found out of my condition in April, 2009.

It was hard to breath, especially when I lied down, and my doctor diagnosed me with dilated cardiomyopathy, meaning slowly dying heart muscles, result-ing with an enlarged heart and reduced retraction rate.

Only cure of this disease is heart transplant surgery, and, at that point, my heart's retraction rate was only one fourth compared to a healthy person. The doctor told me my life can be over any time.

But the decision to be on the transplant waiting list was not an easy decision.

Not only I felt pressure of such a big surgery , but I also felt some-what guilty of receiving someone's heart.

After the first diagnose, huge portion of my life was in the ambu-lance, emergency unit, intensive care unit, and regular hospital room.

Once, my skin was burned by more than a hundred times of electric shock. Later, taking a single step or twitching a finger was a chal-lenging tasks.

I knew my life will be over without a surgery, and, eventually, I de-cided to put my name on the transplant waiting list in 2011.

An automated electric shock machine was implemented in my heart, and, everytime it was activated, I felt the terror of death.

I lost my appetite. Grabbing a spoon was difficult. I couldn't lie down, and so I slept on my seat like in an airplane.

On the evening of August 4th, 2011, the chance of a new life came, and with someone's love, I've received the surgery.

After 13 hours of a long surgery, I finally got out of an airplane and was able to sleep lying down. As time goes, I recovered fast.

I am a opera singer. On the hundredth day after the surgery, I had the first concert with my new heart. I cried; everyone cried.

Surely, it was an emotional one. After further recovery, I released an album called "AMORE."

On the cover, I wrote the following message.'I dedicate this record to the donor and his family members. Wishing for an expansion of organ donations.'

Heart transplant recipients and people on the waiting list keep in touch by a SMS club 'Rebeating Heart.'

When we hear the news of a surgery, we comment on the post, and pray, thank, and tear for the deceased and his family.

When I visit the hospital every three months for the regular check-up, I always visit the ward and talk with patients on the waiting list.

Some of them do not get a chance of a new life.

Recently, recipients, donors' family, supporters, and medical staffs joined to-gether and made a choir. Through this gathering, recipients can actually feel the sorrow of the donors' family.

And we knew that showing the recipients' joy of a new healthy life can give a little comfort to the donors' family

Today, four members of the choir will sing a song called 'Giving Love, Receiv-ing Thanks.' This song was written by Director Ha, Jongwon from Korea Organ Donation Agency and Seoul National University Hospital surgeon.

Now, please let me introduce our singers.

Mr. Song, Jongbin, Although he lost his 34 years old daughter in an accident, he decided to live his life like her kind daughter.

He has overcome the agony and now works as an honorary ambas-sador for organ donation.

Mr. Lee, Bonghwa, On February of 2015, his son passed away by food suffocation at his grandmother's 80th birthday party.

His son was a meningitis patient, and he left after saving the lives of 7 peo-ple when he was 25 years old and his parents joined the Voice of Life Choir to find comfort.

Mr. Park, Byungyoon, After seven years of long kidney dialysis, He received a kidney transplant surgery from a brain-dead donor, and is now fully recov-ered.

Thinking back when he couldn't even sip a cup of water, he tries to stay healthy by regular tracking exercise. He says he is happy to show his grati-tude to the donors' family.

‘Shingosan Taryung' 

After quertet, I'd like to sing korean folk song 'shingosan taryung'

Give Love, Be Thankful

Song by life quartet

My breath and my pulse are living in your body

My eternal life exists with you

Became a sun, became a moon, became a star in the sky high,

Always shining, sharing love

Your breath and your pulse are living in my body

My new life exists with you

Like a sun, like a moon, like a star in the sky high,

Always watching, sharing love

'Giving Love, Receiving Thanks as long as I live

'Giving Love, Receiving Thanks as long as I live

As long as I live