Many years ago, when I worked at Stanford Hospotal, I got to know a little girl named Liza

who was suffering from a rare and serious disease.

Her only chance of getting better was to receive a blood transfusion from her five-year-old

brother. He had somehow survived the same disease and had developed the antibodies

needed to combat the illness. The doctor explained the situation to her little brother.

I saw him hesitate for only a moment before taking a deep breath and saying,

"Yes, I'll do it if it will save Liza."

As the transfusion progressed, he lay in a bed next to his sister and smiled seeing the

color returning to her cheeks. Then his face grew pale and his smile faded. He looked up

at the doctor and asked, "Will I start to die right away?"

Being young, the boy had misunderstood the doctor, he thought he was going to have to

give her all his hlood!