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Dying Boy Gets Lung From Mom, Another From Dad

Both parents and son are recovering well in Germany

By Liam Carnahan,  Newser Staff

Posted Sep 13, 2012 2:46 PM CDT

(Newser) – Two German parents donated a lung each to save their 12-year-old son. The boy suffers from cystic fibrosis, and his situation became so dire in April that he was hooked up to both a ventilator and a heart-lung machine, reports Germany's The Local. With no donor in sight, his parents decided to step in.

Fortunately, both Mom and Dad were compatible blood types and had lungs larger than their son's, a prerequisite for donation. Both parents recovered quickly from the six-hour surgery. Mari had to spend 155 days in the hospital, but now can breathe more easily. His prognosis and quality of life are much improved, though his cystic fibrosis hasn't disappeared.

A chest X-ray.
A chest X-ray.   (Flickr)
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COMMENTS
Showing 3 of 16 comments
SPHeroid
Sep 13, 2012 11:44 PM CDT
I wish all three people involved here good luck..... I don't even want to think about how much this procedure might cost.... Unforunatly, the boy still has cystic fibrosis.......  
troy705
Sep 13, 2012 10:27 PM CDT
It's just a heart warming story. The love of a parent is wonderful.
thereforwhat
Sep 13, 2012 3:33 PM CDT
it's one thing to give a kidney but to give a lung, that's just amazing, profound love.  very touching story
 

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