The anonymous liver donor who helped save the life of an ill Canadian girl is anonymous no more. In fact, he’s practically part of the family.
The family of five-year-old Binh Wagner now know that the man who donated a part of his liver to their daughter is Kris Chung, a 21-year-old English major at Royal Military College.
One year ago, Binh and her twin sister Phuoc, were in desperate need of liver transplants. The girls were suffering from Alagille syndrome, a genetic disorder that had damaged their livers and led to other health complications.
Their story made headlines when their father, Michael, announced he could only donate his liver to one of his twins and that doctors would have to decide which would receive it.
He appealed to the public for help finding a donor for his other daughter. A donor came forward, but the Wagners were barred from learning his identity.
Then a few months after the surgery, the family received a message on their Facebook revealing the donor’s name.
As Johane wrote on the family’s blog, they were first angry the donor’s privacy had been violated, but after a few months of messaging Chung, they decided to finally meet.
Now, not only have the Wagners welcomed Chung into their lives, they have brought him on board for a charity they’ve founded to help other Vietnamese children, which they’re calling Twins for Hope.
Chung never expected to meet the Wagners in person but he told CTV News Channel Friday he’s delighted to be part of their family.
“I spend most of my evenings there, joining them for supper. It’s a nice place to decompress after a day of school and work, to be part of such a large family of 12,” he said from Kingston.
Chung heard about the Wagners on the news and was touched by their story. So like hundreds of others around Ontario, Chung offered to be a donor.
He was an ideal match, and when the first donor whom doctors had chosen bailed at the last minute, Chung was wheeled into surgery.
Now, one year later, Chung has fully recovered (the liver will grow back if a portion is removed), and the girls are thriving.
The twins are still developmentally delayed because of the effects of their illness, and will remain on immunosupression drugs for the rest of their lives so their bodies don’t reject their new livers. But they are vibrant and full of life, Chung said.
“It’s wonderful to see the twins now healthy and less hindered by medical challenges, to see them progress and them enjoying their summer days with their brothers and sisters,” Chung said.
“And it’s a great relief to see that my efforts were worthwhile.”
Chung says he’s learned a lot from Michael and Johanne, noting their determination to raise a large family despite the challenges. Now, he and Johanne are working on a non-profit organization to help other children such as Binh and Phuoc.
“The twins are very fortunate. But there are still a lot of children still in Vietnam who simply don’t have the same opportunities as them,” Chung explained.
The new charity aims to bring medical aid and opportunities to impoverished Vietnamese children, to ensure they have a chance at full lives.
One program the group will support aims to provide low-income kids with bikes so they can travel to vocational school, where they can learn skills such as hairdressing and motorbike repair, to give them good jobs in the future.
The group’s first mission will be in December, when the whole Wagner family will head to Vietnam.
Chung says the charity was created to give Phuoc and Binh something to be proud of later in life.
