Paramedic Kim So-Young, Who Passed Away on the 23rd of Last Month
Family Respects Deceased's Wishes... Organ Donation Saves Five Lives
A woman who saved countless lives working as a firefighter paramedic donated her organs at the last moment, saving five lives.
The Korea Organ and Tissue Donation Agency announced on the 18th, "On the 23rd of last month at Jeonnam National University Hospital, Kim So-young (45) saved five lives through brain-dead organ donation and became an angel in heaven."
Kim lost consciousness and collapsed at home on the 6th of last month and was transported to a nearby hospital. However, she never regained consciousness and became brain dead. To honor Kim's wish, who had hoped to donate her organs, her family agreed to brain-dead organ donation, donating her heart, lungs, liver, and kidneys (both left and right), saving five patients.
Firefighter and paramedic Kim So-young, who passed away after donating organs. [Image source=Janggi Organ Donation Center]
Kim worked as a paramedic at a fire station. She was an excellent paramedic who received five "Heart Saver" awards, which are given when an emergency paramedic saves a patient in cardiac arrest through cardiopulmonary resuscitation, and she devoted herself to rescue activities at various disaster sites, receiving a commendation from the Jeollanam-do Medical Association.
Despite the extreme stress of firefighting and rescue work, she was always smiling and proactive in all tasks. To help other firefighter colleagues, she completed a doctorate in psychological counseling and was preparing her thesis.
Lee Sam-yeol, director of the Korea Organ and Tissue Donation Agency, said, "We express our gratitude to Kim So-young, who saved countless lives as a paramedic for over 20 years and saved other lives through brain-dead organ donation at the last moment of her life," adding, "We hope that the warm heart of such donors will spread as seeds of hope throughout society."
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