Transplants: from one life to another | France 2 | Envoyé Spécial

An organ transplant is a surgical exploit and one of the greatest advances in medicine of the 20th century. But the gift of an organ, without which the transplant is not possible, remains taboo. In this report, our team followed for several months patients, children and adults, who are waiting for the transplant which will save their lives. Marianne, 14, and Elio, 20 months, are waiting for a kidney transplant which will enable them to finally live without dialysis. Sandy, 13, who has a rare disease which is destroying her liver is waiting for the transplant which will enable her to celebrate her 14th birthday. Jean-Paul, 59, victim of a heart attack, has been waiting for a heart for 7 months. All are in a race against death. But the wait is often long for in France the gift of organs remains rare: a lot of families of the deceased (32%) refuse to donate a part of the body of their relative.