our readers write

Chronicle reader John Wayne Parrish emailed this for other readers.

Many years ago, when I worked as a volunteer at a hospital, I got to know a little girl named Liz who was suffering from a rare disease. Her only chance of recovery appeared to be a blood transfusion from her 5-year old brother. He had survived the same disease and developed the antibodies needed to combat the illness.

The doctor asked the little boy if he was willing to give his blood to his sister. I saw him hesitate before taking a deep breath and saying, “Yes I’ll do it if it will save her.”

He lay in bed next to his sister and smiled, seeing the color return to her cheek. Then his face grew pale and his smile faded. He asked with a trembling voice, “Will I start to die right away?”

He had misunderstood.

He thought he was going to have to give his sister all his blood to save her.

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