Girl lives on in seven children

NST: She was their only child and their lives revolved around her.
But the life that the couple built around the five-year-old came to an abrupt end last week when she died in a road accident.
Their lives were unexpectedly clouded by grief and uncertainty, with a void that could not be filled.
But they rose above their pain and sorrow to take a decision that will ensure that their daughter lives on — in others.
Thanks to their decision to donate the organs of their daughter, seven children are smiling today.
They will face life with the help of the child’s kidneys, liver, corneas and heart valves.
According to the donor’s mother, it was a difficult decision but one which had to be made.
"She was our only child and her sudden death came as a big blow to us, but we’re happy she has helped other children live," she told Datin Dr Lela Yasmin Mansor, chief national transplant co-ordinator of the National Transplant Centre (NTC).
Dr Lela said the couple’s action was exemplary.
"It is so touching. They lost their only child but all they could think of was the welfare of other children."
Until Feb 20, the centre had collected organs from five people: two women and three men.
One person had his organs harvested at Ipoh Hospital, two at Sultanah Aminah Hospital in Johor, and one each at Hospital Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia and Tengku Ampuan Rahimah hospital in Klang.
The NTC managed to obtain three pairs of kidneys, a liver, four pairs of heart valves, skin and bones. More than 50 Malaysians benefited from these donations.
Dr Lela said the centre had to reject some donors due to factors such as infection.
She said Malaysians were becoming more aware of the importance of organ donation, with many coming forward to donate the organs of deceased family members.
Until Feb 20, 93,394 Malaysians had pledged their organs: 50,333 women, 42,147 men and 914 whose gender was unrecorded.
Of them, 59,524 were Chinese, 21,185 Indians, 9,845 Malays, 2,778 others and 62 unknown.
She said 63,382 of those who had signed up had pledged all their organs and tissues.
"Most who pledged their organs are young," said Dr Lela, adding that 219 donors were aged between one and 10 years; 17,831, 11-20 years; 34,651, 21-30 years; and 20,213, 31-40 years.
The rest were above 41 years of age, including 42 Malaysians aged over 90. Until Feb 20, 161 Malaysians had donated their organs.