Huy (left) from Vietnam tightly hugs his life-saving donor, Mr. Yang (right), unable to let go as tears stream down his face. | Photo: An-Yu Chen (陳安俞) ​

A Global Network of Hope: 7,000 Bone Marrow Matches from Taiwan

For 16-year-old Bach Trong Dang Huy from Vietnam, meeting the man who saved his life was a moment he had long dreamed of. When he finally saw Mr. Yang, the bone marrow donor who gave him a second chance at life, Huy rushed forward, knelt in gratitude, and embraced him tightly, unable to hold back his tears. Huy and his family had traveled all the way from Vietnam to Taiwan, fulfilling their wish to thank the donor in person and to witness the Tzu Chi Stem Cell Center’s milestone of 7,000 unrelated hematopoietic stem cell donations—a testament to the power of compassion that connects Taiwan to the world.

A Family’s Journey from Despair to Gratitude

Huy was just eight years old when he was diagnosed with leukemia. Despite multiple rounds of treatment, his illness kept returning. In 2020, as the COVID-19 pandemic swept the globe, Huy’s family received news that a matching bone marrow donor had been found in Taiwan. Huy traveled across the sea to Hualien Tzu Chi Hospital, where he underwent a life-saving transplant. After more than a year of treatment, he regained his health.

Huy (right) from Vietnam practiced Chinese diligently so he could personally thank his donor. He expressed his gratitude in fluent Chinese during the reunion. | Photo: An-Yu Chen

At the emotional reunion, Huy said, “I am most grateful to Master Cheng Yen and to my donor, who gave me a new life.” His mother, holding back tears, told Mr. Yang, “Thank you for saving Huy and giving our family happiness again. From now on, our home is your home.”

Donor Mr. Yang was equally moved. He recalled seeing a video of Huy waiting for a transplant and suspected he might be the recipient of his bone marrow. “After five years, seeing that the little boy has grown into a healthy teenager and is hugging me so tightly, I am deeply touched,” he said.

“Some people say the injections before donation are painful, but I didn’t feel much discomfort, and donating has had no impact on my health. Those considering donation shouldn’t worry.” — Mr. Yang

A Milestone for Taiwan and the World

The Tzu Chi Stem Cell Center’s 7,000th unrelated donation is not just a number—it represents 7,000 lives renewed and 7,000 acts of selfless giving. Recipients are not only from Taiwan but from 31 countries worldwide. Over 32 years, the center has built a high-density, efficient registry, earning international recognition and playing a crucial role in global stem cell matching.

Huy (left) bows in gratitude to his donor, Mr. Yang (right), upon meeting him. | Photo: An-Yu Chen

The journey to 7,000 matches was not easy. In the early days, it took eight years and seven months to reach the first 500 donations. With the introduction of peripheral blood stem cell collection in 2002, the process became more accessible, and the number of donors grew steadily. Today, the registry is a model for the world, with Taiwan’s population of just 23 million achieving a remarkable rate of successful matches.

Huy’s family traveled from Vietnam to thank the donor in person. Huy’s mother (in purple) repeatedly wiped away tears, grateful for the chance to regain happiness as a family. | Photo: An-Yu Chen

Stories of Courage and Selflessness

Each donation is a story of courage. Many donors have given twice, and some have donated lymphocytes again to help the same recipient. There are even cases where, after many years, donors are matched again and step forward to help. These acts of kindness often take place under challenging circumstances, including natural disasters, yet donors persist for the sake of a strangers’ life.

After his transplant, Huy (left) began learning Chinese so he could thank Mr. Yang (right) personally. Mr. Yang was deeply moved to see Huy healthy and grown. | Photo: An-Yu Chen

Medical and Government Leaders Witness the Milestone

On August 12, the “0 to 7000: Witnessing Miracles from Taiwan to the World” press conference was held, attended by Deputy Minister of Health and Welfare Jen-Der Lue (呂建德), National Health Insurance Administration Director-General Chung-Liang Shih (石崇良), Tzu Chi Medical Mission CEO Chin-Lon Lin (林俊龍), Tzu Chi Foundation Deputy CEO Scott Liu (劉效成), Hualien Tzu Chi Hospital Superintendent Shinn-Zong Lin (林欣榮), and other leaders in medicine and public health. Together, they celebrated this historic achievement and called for more people, especially the younger generation, to join the registry and give hope to those waiting for a match.

Government officials and other leaders from Tzu Chi and various medical societies gathered with Tzu Chi volunteers to witness the historic 7,000th donation. | Photo: An-Yu Chen

 A Call for More Donors

For patients with leukemia and other blood diseases, a stem cell transplant is often their only hope. The chance of finding a match from an unrelated donor can be as low as one in a million, depending on ethnicity. The willingness of strangers to donate, even in the face of inconvenience or hardship, is a beacon of hope for those in need.

Over 32 years, with the passing of 11,688 days, 7,000 acts of love have created a safety net for patients and families in Taiwan and around the world. As the Tzu Chi Stem Cell Center looks to the future, there is a sincere hope that more young people will join the registry, giving more waiting lives the chance to be reborn and making Taiwan shine even brighter with compassion.

Written by Wan-Lin Wu (吳宛霖)

Translated by Stella Li (李淑敏)

Source: 救人7千例的髓緣之愛 從台灣到全球的生命奇蹟