Son donates liver to mother, tells her, 'Don't worry about it'

This photo distributed to the media by Chung-Ang University Hospital shows the mother (second from right) who received transplant of the liver donated by her son (third from right) posing for a photo with the medical staff. (Chung-Ang University Hospital)

A story of a 54-year-old son donating part of his liver to his severely ill mother was shared by Chung-Ang University Hospital on Wednesday, ahead of Parents' Day on Thursday.

According to the hospital, the 75-year-old woman surnamed Moon made a full recovery from the April 15 liver transplant and was discharged Friday. It marked the 100th successful liver transplant of the hospital’s organ transplant center.

The medical staff celebrated the full recovery of patient and her son surnamed Oh, who was discharged 10 days after the operation. The hospital staff presented them with carnation that is traditionally given to parents on Parent's Day.

The patient had suffered from a series of liver diseases, including a 2023 diagnosis of liver cancer. Her condition had deteriorated with symptoms such as coughing up blood and fluid buildup in the abdomen, at which point doctors recommended a liver transplant.

She initially hesitated taking liver from her son, but he reassured her, saying, "Don't worry about it. Just get better."

Professor Suh Suk-won of general surgery at the hospital, who performed the operation, said he was glad both the donor's and recipient's liver functions recovered, and expressed his wishes that the mother and son live long and healthy lives.