Varna became the first city in the world to name a street after a donor.
Georgi Nikolov was 21 years old when he lost his life eight years ago.
On September 18, 2015, he suffered a massive stroke while bending down to tie his shoe in front of the elevator at his home in Varna. At that time, the young man was a final year student in London and life was ahead of him. But it was not written to him.
Although the ambulance arrived within minutes, the doctors were unable to save his life. They offer his parents Nikolay and Svetla Nikolovi and his brother Alexander to donate his organs – his heart, liver and two kidneys. Thus the young man saves four human lives.
Georgi’s organs were successfully transplanted on September 20, 2015, people are alive and well to this day, and he remains forever 21 years old.
Georgi’s parents – Nikolay and Svetla Georgievi Screenshot: Nova TV
“We made the decision to donate spontaneously, we were unanimous. We held hands. There was no need to discuss. We simply said: “We will donate”. Our son gave four people a chance to live and make sense of their lives. This gave us a new meaning, hope and strength to move forward”commented the mother Svetla Nikolova today to Nova TV at the opening of the street named after her son.
“Georgi Nikolov” Street is located in the “Asparuhovo” district of Varna. In addition to Georgi’s parents, the mayor of the Asparuhovo region Ivaylo Marinov, Noble Graphics, representatives of the Documentalists foundation, the chairman of the culture committee Maria Todorova and the anesthesiologist who realized the donor situation, Dr. Valentin Marinchev, were at the event today.
Bad luck for Georgi
Before the accident, Georgi Nikolov never had serious health problems. No one in his family suspected that an insidious brain aneurysm in his head was about to burst and end his life.
Aneurysms have no explainable cause or symptoms, and in George’s case it’s no more than a bad chance.
“The Anonymous Heroes”
Following the legal provision that streets in Bulgaria are only named after deceased people with special merits for society.
The initiative “Anonymous Heroes” – to name a street after a donor is of citizens and the creators of the project “The Last Gift of Man”. He aims to raise the issue of donation problems in Bulgaria. Its creators are Georgi’s brother – Alexander Nikolov and his associate and friend Dimitar Panayotovwho writes the lyrics.
Their implementation takes 6 years. During this time, the two held more than 100 meetings with doctors, patients and families of donors in more than 15 settlements. They film in 8 hospitals, attend three transplants and witness one donor situation. The documentary begins precisely with the story of Georgi.
The last chapter of “The Last Gift of Man” comes out today – on the day that George’s death allows four people to continue living.
Bulgaria is last in Europe in terms of transplants
As in most indicators in the European Union, Bulgaria is in last place in transplants.
There are only 13 realized donor situations in our country in 2022, and those waiting are nearly 1000. If the current pace is maintained, it will take more than 20 years to transplant all those waiting to date.
It should not be forgotten that we are talking about seriously ill people who often do not have two, what is left for 20 years of life. At the same time, every year more and more patients are diagnosed with a disease in which the only salvation is organ transplantation.
In 2021, the project “The Last Gift of Man” was honored in the annual “Heroes” awards of the largest volunteering platform in Bulgaria – TimeHeroes.
