NZ teacher hosptialized, needs transplant

We want to get the word out about a NZ teacher hospitalized in Busan. He has a rare blood type, 0 negative, and needs a liver transplant to survive. His family cannot afford the 40 to 50 million won estimated cost of the operation. Native Speaking English Teachers here in Miryang, SK, along with many Korean friends are trying to raise the necessary funds. His brother arrived last night from NZ and is a potential donor.   He is going to the hospital this morning to speak with the doctors and be tested for donor suitability. You can find all the details here... 
http://www.facebook.com/home.php#!/event.php?eid=202032269874081

This is not a one time event, we will keep going with donations and various events until Mick gets the help he needs!

Our friend and colleague needs our help. Michael Milne has been teaching in Miryang, South Korea for the past five years.
He is currently in a Busan hospital awaiting an organ transplant. His blood type is the rarest, O neg, which is making it more difficult.


Unfortunately, the help he needs from the powers that be, is not being given. The insurance we are provided with as foreign teachers, does not give this coverage, and his family is not able to get the full cost together in time.

Please help us raise as much of the necessary $40,000 that we can, in time to help save our friend's life.

Thank you for helping out in any way that you can!

If you are sending funds from within Korea:
Nonghyup Bank (National Agricultural Cooperative Federation)
Name: 마이클 (Michael Milne)
Account - 811057 52 067773

... If you are sending funds from another country to Mick's Korean account:
Bank name: National Agricultural Cooperative Federation
Name: Michael Milne
Account number: 811057 52 067773
Swift Code - NACFKRSEXXX
Address: 75, Chungjeongro 1 Ga
Jung-Gu, Seoul, Korea
Phone: 82-10-7552-1964

Re: NZ teacher hosptialized, needs transplant

I don't want to look overly suspicious or anything, but can't the guy take a plane back to New Zealand and get hospitalized in his home country? I mean, a need for a liver transplant probably didn't just happen one morning when he woke up no?

Re: NZ teacher hosptialized, needs transplant

I'm a teacher from the same city as Mick (michael), and the entire community living here has rallied to do what we can to make it easier for Mick and his wife to concentrate on his health.

We all appreciate anything you can do to help, the main aspect being the raising of money so Mick can have a liver transplant that will save his life.

Any amount is welcome, and knowing you've donated to directly save a life will, I'm sure, give you the warm fuzzies.

See the above post for details on donations, and please help our friend.

Thank you 

Ross.

(In response to the flight home question, NZ is a total of 15 hours straight flying from Korea [without stopovers]. Mick's condition means it is very dangerous for him to undertake a flight of any length, let alone for that duration, without a fully prepped medical team. It might even do more harm than it would good. His best, and only, bet is to trust the doctors at the Hospital here in Korea to save him.)

Re: NZ teacher hosptialized, needs transplant

Sorry to hear about your friend . Hope he can recover soon . I have seen on TV Arriang 

sometimes Korean Doctors do free surgery for non koreans . In Korea and other countries . Factory 

workers have a organization for helping them . Sadly I think teachers are left on an Island

without support groups . Its always sad  without money doctors wont treat patients in our 

world . Not only korea but all countries .  I suggest trying to give your friends information to

Korean Media such as tv , newspapers , and internet sites .   Korea is trying to become a

Medical tourism hub . Sounds very horrible the insurance wont cover him . I will send my prayers

for his full recovery  .    

Re: NZ teacher hosptialized, needs transplant

The school that this individual is employed by won't help?  Finance it then possible deduct from wages for such a period of time?  Not the whole thing but some of it, at least? 

Re: NZ teacher hosptialized, needs transplant

Hey all.  

Looks like there has been some good news!  It's looking hopeful that his brother is a match.  I'm still waiting on confirmation.

Please check the facebook link for updated information.  

Thank you to those that have donated already!

We are at about 6 million in the bank account.  An amazing amout but nowhere near what we need.  Please give what you can.

 

 

Re: NZ teacher hosptialized, needs transplant

Every now and then there is an appeal to donate money to help pay the medical expenses for someone who has has an accident, or is ill. This person who has been in Korea for 5 years has no money? Even a complete schmuck can save about 10mil a year. The parents may be strapped for cash, but it is highly likely they own or have a lot of equity in their home. Surely they can raise the cash. Surely his wife and her family have some cash?. No doubt I'll be labelled as cold hearted, but the family prefers strangers pay for their son, rather than themselves?

Re: NZ teacher hosptialized, needs transplant

Hey Blue Rider, I wanted to reply as someone who has been hospitalized in Korea and appreciated the financial help of my friends and strangers at the time.  All my savings were wiped out within the first two weeks of treatment.  I hadn't been in Korea 5 years but I had other financial obligations so I wasn't simply saving money for hospital treatments (student loans, other debt, etc).  I wasn't sitting on a ton of cash.

I'm sure (really hope) the man's family isn't just sitting on a pile of money while their loved one is in hospital.  Realistically, I think the fund raisers can't hope to raise more than a few thousand bucks this way but everything is appreciated.  I was thankful when people helped me and if you ever are put in the same situation, I hope you appreciate it when people try to help you (be it cash, sandwiches, or anything).  When my parents visited, people at home had spontaneously donated money, the neighbour mowed the lawn, people took care of the pets - great feeling of community.

If you don't want to toss in a few bucks, then no worries.  I'm sure you do something to help others in other ways.

JR

PS>> I just noticed in facebook he raised nearly a fifth of the cash needed.  Way to go expat community.

Re: NZ teacher hosptialized, needs transplant

Can I ask why you guys don't have insurance when living overseas, deliberately knowing that if something happens to you it'll cost you an arm and a leg? I mean these days these have cheap insurance plans for like one dollar a day, which covers you for something like $1M