Savior Siblings

          ----->   Babies born with the purpose of saving existing children with their healthy parts, cells, blood – whatever it is that the existing child needs.

QUESTION FOR THE DAY : Can savior siblings make a difference? Should they be considered as heroes?

Although My Sister's Keeper is a fictional novel, the issue known as Savior Sibilings is real. I have research that in real life, there are families who have created a genetically matched human being in order to be the savior of their sick child who's in need of a donor. According from pennmedicine.org,  technicians can screen multiple embryos that are typically produced with in vitro fertilization and choose those that have the desired genetic characteristics. The embryo selection procedure is known as pre-implantation genetic diagnosis (PGD).

Below is an example of someone who was saved by a savior sibling. ↓

"Charlie Whitaker, who suffered a debilitating and extremely rare genetic condition, was saved by stem cells transplanted from the umbilical cord of his brother - Jamie, who was born by IVF specifically to provide a tissue match." (telegraph.org)

Like Jamie, Anna in the novel my Sister's Keeper  was also genetically selected to save her sister, Kate. From the day she was born, Anna was making a difference by prolonging Kate's life. For many years, Anna kept giving her tissues, bone marrow, blood and organs away until she has made a decision to stop.  By taking on the decision of suing her parents, Anna was making a difference to everyone in the family. Jesse was risking his parent's trust by helping Anna meet Mr. Campbell,  Brian was standing up against Sara's dictatorship, and Sara is being worried about Kate's "upcoming" death. All of the family thought that Anna was giving up Kate, but at the end of the novel, we found out that Anna knew her sister wanted to die and her decision to sue her parents was a way for her to keep that secret. People will think that Anna was being selfish (especially in the beginning parts of the novel), but all throughout she was just really doing what’s best for her and Kate.

               I’ve never had someone give up their life for me, but I do know that it takes a lot of courage and thinking to sacrifice for someone.  It is hard to resist to your parents' request especially if you know that it is for the betterment of someone else. By slowly giving up her life for her sister, Anna Fitzgerald is my definition of a hero - she was ready to be there at all times for her sister, Kate.