Pianist Sounds Clarion Call for Organ Donation

Published on 2020/09/27 | Source

Pianist Son Yeol-eum has sounded a clarion call for organ donation by registering as an organ donor, the Ministry of Health and Welfare said last week.

"I'd like to convince all my family to pledge to donate their organs. If I can have a chance to make myself valuable after my death, I am very happy to do so", she said.

Son also encouraged people to participate in organ donation as she played a piano version of Beethoven's Ninth Symphony, a call for peace and unity.

"This year is the 250th anniversary of the composer's birth. As he refused to allow his deafness to prevent him from achieving great things, so I hope this piece can comfort patients waiting to receive organs", she added.

Son studied at the Korea National University of Arts in Seoul and the Hochschule für Musik, Theater und Medien Hannover in Germany and won silver in the International Tchaikovsky Competition in 2011.

More than 45,000 patients are on a waiting list for organ transplants, but only 450 Koreans donated their organs last year.

To register as an organ donor, go to www.konos.go.kr.