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 rare and
serious disease. Her only chance of recovery appeared to
be 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.