※ 아래 스크립트는 발표자의 발표내용을 그대로 표기하였으므로 구어체 표현이 포함되어있고,
일부 문장은 문법적 오류가 포함될수 있는점 참고 부탁드립니다.
How many of you have seen someone dying right next you? There are some critical
moments in our lifetime that give us the strength to continue. It could be a traumatic
experience such as natural disaster or an accident. Today, I would like to share a
very personal experience that I endured that affected me so much that I can now
get through any difficulties in my life. Beforehand, I would like to mention that I am
so grateful for everything that I have today.
I try my best not to take anything for granted because this is now my second life.
OK, what do I mean by second life here? On March 25th, 1993 I was lying in the
hospital, almost unconscious. I had been bleeding from my nose for more
than ten days. My face was as white as a ghost. I was eleven, and I remember
that I saw my parents sobbing through the window of the emergency room while
a group of doctors were telling something.
Later, I found out that I contracted leukemia. As you may know, leukemia is a
type of cancer which is considered an incurable disease with a survival rate of
less than 50%. I was immediately hospitalized after my blood test and bone
marrow biopsy results confirmed my diagnosis. That was the very beginning of
my endless treatment for the disease. At first, my parents were desperate to
find blood donors because I severely lacked blood to help me not only to stop
the bleeding but also to fight the disease. My parents called all of my relatives
and their friends and they even asked the local newspaper reporter to write an
article to find blood donors.
One of my cousins, who was serving at the military, told his commander about
my story and many of his camp soldiers gladly donated their fresh blood.
And, it is still running through my veins. During treatments, I often suffered
high fevers, and I had constant blood tests and shots which virtually ruined all
of the veins on my hands. I also experienced hair loss due to the strong
chemotherapy. Above all, the most fearful treatment was bone marrow biopsy
which was done on a weekly basis. And it was so dreadful because doctors
did not put me under anesthesia when they were inserting a long and sharp
needle into my spine. I had to bend my back, lying on a bed, directly feeling
the needle penetrating into my body. A shiver ran down my spine and I screamed
while naming all of the gods that I knew to help me escape from this agony.
A couple patients who shared a hospital room with me simply passed away
while they were fighting the same disease. A girl next to my bed, whose parents
denied her blood transfusion because of their religious beliefs, eventually died.
Witnessing someone right beside me dying was a shocking experience for an
eleven-year-old boy. I felt like I was losing a comrade in a battle and it was
one of the most heartbreaking moments in my life.
However, strangely enough, watching someone dying somehow strengthened
my resolve to survive. I suppose that I might have wanted, from the bottom of
my heart, to show those blood donors that I successfully overcame the disease.
So, I decided then and there to do my best to overcome the disease. I prayed
every single day to God to help me to fight the disease. Miraculously, I was able
to endure painful treatments for three years. My health gradually recovered and,
finally, my will to survive defeated this horrible disease, and I was able to prove
to myself to whom I owe my life.
Ironically, my terrible childhood experience at the hospital has become a ‘fuel’
that has helped me to bear through other difficult moments in my life. Whenever
I had hard times growing up, I always reminded myself of long, agonizing
treatments I endured. Without the experience of fighting leukemia, I would
never have overcome other adversities in my life. Before I wrap up my
presentation, I would like to introduce myself. I’ve been working as a coast guard
for the last ten years. It is a great honor for me to serve for the people I love
and the fact that I can assist people in need is the most valuable and rewarding
experience. Whenever I see people rescued from distress with my little help,
I feel as if I am repaying the favor that I received from many different, unknown
people when I was sick as a child. I hope to return this benevolence to anyone
in need so long as this blood continues to course through my body. Thank you.