Taipei Veteran General Hospital inaugurated an outdoor memorial park yesterday to show appreciation for organ and tissue donors.
Hospital Superintendent Lin Fang-yu (林芳郁) said at the ceremony to mark the launch of the park that the hospital used to list the names of donors on a wall in a corner of the lobby of the Chung-cheng building.
However, with the number of organ and tissue donors now at 387, there was no more space on the original wall, Lin said.
“We’ve inaugurated the memorial park to allow the recipients to express their appreciation and to memorialize them, as well as increase the public’s awareness of organ donation,” Lin said.
The names of the donors are engraved on the leaves of a ceramic tree.
A digital tour guide will also be set up at the park which will showcase the historical record of all donors.
The hospital has asked donors’ families to provide their life stories so they can be displayed at the site.
Hospital authorities hope this feature will make it possible for visitors to learn more about how donors contribute to society.
It would also serve as a symbol of blessing, love and good will between donors and recipients, the hospital said.
Because there are many patients waiting for organ donations, Lin also urged the public to respond positively to a new organ donation drive.
Taipei and Kaohsiung have extended an open invitation to Japanese pop star Ayumi Hamasaki after Chinese authorities abruptly canceled her scheduled concert in Shanghai. Hamasaki, 47, had been slated to perform on Saturday before organizers pulled the show at the last minute, citing “force majeure,” a move widely viewed as retaliation for Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi’s recent remark that a Chinese attack on Taiwan could draw a military response from Tokyo. Taipei Mayor Chiang Wan-an (蔣萬安) yesterday said the city “very much welcomes” Hamasaki’s return and would continue to “surprise” her. Hamasaki, who has a large global fan base, including
‘REGRETTABLE’: Travelers reported that Seoul’s online arrival card system lists Taiwan as ‘China (Taiwan),’ the Ministry of Foreign Affairs said The Ministry of Foreign Affairs yesterday urged South Korea to correct the way Taiwan is listed in its newly launched e-Arrival card system, saying the current designation downgrades the nation’s status. South Korea rolled out the online system on Feb. 24 to gradually replace paper arrival cards, which it plans to phase out by next year. Travelers must complete the electronic form up to 72 hours before entering the country. The ministry said it has received multiple complaints from Taiwanese travelers saying that the system lists Taiwan as “China (Taiwan)” in dropdown menus for both “place of departure” and “next
Starting next month, people who signed up for the TPass 2.0 program can receive a 15 percent rebate for trips on mid to long-distance freeway buses or on buses headed to the east coast twice every month, the Highway Bureau said. Bureau Director-General Lin Fu-shan (林福山) said the government started TPass 2.0 to offer rebates to frequent riders of public transportation, or people who use city buses, highway buses, trains or MRTs at least 11 times per month. As of Nov. 12, 265,000 people have registered for TPass 2.0, and about 16.56 million trips between February and September qualified for
HOW RUDE: Joe Biden’s Indo-Pacific defense chief condemned China’s response to Takaichi’s remarks as inappropriate and heavy-handed, while praising Japan’s nerve A former US defense official under former US president Joe Biden has voiced support for Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi for her remarks suggesting that Japan could help defend Taiwan, while describing Beijing’s response as “inappropriate.” Ely Ratner, who served as assistant secretary of defense for Indo-Pacific security affairs from 2021 to this year, said in a CNA interview that Takaichi’s comments on Taiwan simply reflected Japan’s position and stance on Taiwan. On Nov. 7, the Japanese prime minister commented in a parliamentary session that a Chinese attack on Taiwan could constitute “a situation threatening Japan’s survival” that could trigger a military
RSS