They are the unsung heroes who saved hundreds of lives every year, but until now Hong Kong had no memorial dedicated to those who donated their organs after death.
That changed yesterday with the launch of a memorial webpage on the Hong Kong Society of Transplantation website and the planting of a phoenix tree at the Prince of Wales Hospital as a token of thanks. The phoenix is a symbol of rebirth.
Organ recipients can now express their gratitude by paying tribute to donors on the society's 'memorial gardens' webpage or by visiting the real garden.
The move came as doctors announced that 130 organs were donated as of December 15 this year - slightly down on the historic high of 141 last year.
They comprised 74 kidneys, 41 livers, 13 hearts and two pairs of lungs.
Hong Kong Society of Transplantation president Professor Philip Li Kam-tao said although the number of donations was slightly down on 2009, it was better than all previous years.
'Hongkongers are increasingly open to the idea of organ donation after death,' he said. 'But the actual number of donated organs used depends on whether they are healthy enough for transplantation.'
