Many years ago, when I worked as a volunteer at Stanford
Hospital, I got to know a little girl named Liza who was
suffering from a disease and needed a blood transfusion from her
five-year-old brother, who had miraculously survived the same
disease and had developed the antibodies needed to combat the
illness.
The doctor explained the situation to her little brother, and
asked the boy if he would be willing to give his blood to his
sister. I saw him hesitate for only a moment before taking a deep
breath and saying, "Yes, I'll do it if it will save Liza."
As the transfusion progressed, he lay in bed next to his sister
and smiled, as we all did, seeing the color returning to her
cheeks. Then his face grew pale and his smile faded.
He looked up at the doctor and asked with a trembling voice,
"Will I start to die right away?" Being young, the boy had
misunderstood the doctor; he thought he was going to have to give
her all his blood.
-- Author Unknown
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