In 1995, at the age of 35, Yang-Chuan Chang caught a bad cold that led to kidney failure. After nine years of waiting on the transplant list, Yang-Chuan received a call from Tzu Chi Hospital in Hualien that a donated kidney had been matched to him, and he now enjoys a life free from dialysis. "I feel alive," said Yang-Chuan. "I am grateful to donors and donor families every single day for saving me and my family." As a way to "pay it forward,” Yang-Chuan dedicates his time as a Tzu Chi Commissioner leading the Hualien area in charity works "to relieve our community from suffering."

Yang-Chuan's Story

In 1995, at the age of 35, Yang-Chuan Chang caught a bad cold that led to kidney failure. He had to fly three times a week to the city of Taipei, Taiwan to receive life-sustaining dialysis. Fortunately, his military leader relocated his dialysis center much closer to his hometown of Hualien.

After nine years of waiting on the transplant list, Yang-Chuan received a call from Tzu Chi Hospital in Hualien that a donated kidney had been matched to him. After discussing the opportunity with his family, he chose to receive a living saving transplant, and he now enjoys a life free from dialysis. "I feel alive," said Yang-Chuan. "I am grateful to donors and donor families every single day for saving me and my family."

As a way to "pay it forward," Yang-Chuan is actively involved with Tzu Chi to support their mission to save other peoples' lives. "My donor and my donor family followed the Buddha path of life as they thought beyond their grief to save lives," said Yang-Chuan. "I dedicate my time as a Tzu Chi Commissioner to lead the Hualien area in charity works to relieve our community from suffering."