In April 2017, a Taiwan woman named Guo Huan-xi (郭洹希) was diagnosed with chronic myeloid leukemia. Within a week, she experienced high fever 2 to 3 times, a significant loss of weight, a noticeable thinning of her body, and chronic fatigue. Her enlarged spleen pressed against her abdominal cavity and other organs. By July of the same year, her condition had become acute lymphocytic leukemia; but chemotherapy did not yield the desired results. Desperately seeking a bone marrow match, she was fortunate enough to receive a donation in November of that year.

Accept Illness as a Visitor

Following a successful transplant and a remarkable recovery, Huan-xi, along with her fellow patients, founded an organization called "Blood: A Gift of Life." Their mission was to provide ongoing support for patients and share their own experiences with those still battling the disease. In late 2022, she and her fellow patients completed a 9-day, 8-night cycling journey around the island -- they embraced life with optimism and resilience. Once a workaholic, she now accepts her illness as a visitor that she must accommodate.

Happy to Be a Donor

"I am extremely happy; I never thought I'd be here as a donor," said Lin Ming-Hung (林洺弘), the donor who provided his stem cells to Guo Huan-xi. Lin is a family medical physician who registered as a bone marrow donor during his university years, after seeing a promotional campaign. He considers himself fortunate to have had the opportunity to help someone through this fortunate match.

To ensure that the recipient received high-quality peripheral blood stem cells, Lin  adopted a healthier lifestyle; now he considers it a positive habit. He expressed deep gratitude for the opportunity to make such a difference. Lin explained he did not worry at all about the donation process, and that his family was very supportive. Additionally, as a vegetarian, he hopes to inspire others to adopt healthy habits when they have the means. Dr. Lin shared his good fortune with Guo Huan-xi, who, in turn, has used it to help so many people. He genuinely feels happy for her.

Pay It Forward

After the meeting between the donor and recipient at the Buddhist Tzu Chi Stem Cells Center, a commemorative plaque was presented to this year’s donors on behalf of all recipients. This gesture represented the gratitude of all those who have benefited from such donations. Although the encounter was brief, the donors and volunteers present were deeply moved. This meeting was proof that love transcends nationality, ethnicity, age, gender, and occupation. It binds humanity together, uniting people from all walks of life.

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