Eight years after losing their son, Australian Philip Hancock's family still remembers the moment they chose to donate his organs in China, a decision that would go on to save the lives of others.

On May 9, 2018, 27-year-old Hancock passed away in Chongqing, after unsuccessful medical treatment. Respecting his wishes, his parents donated his liver, two kidneys and a pair of corneas, giving five recipients in China a second chance at life and sight.

He became the first Australian to donate organs in China and the seventh foreign donor in the country. At the time, Hancock had been teaching at Southwest University in Chongqing, where he had developed a strong connection with the country.

"This was a very difficult decision for our family to make," Peter Hancock, the father of Philip Hancock, said at a memorial symposium held in Sydney on Friday.

He said his son had spoken about organ donation with the family in the past and had made his wishes clear, which made the decision a little easier.

"He (said he) would like his organs to be donated so that other people could benefit from them," Peter Hancock said. "He believed that this was a humanitarian thing to do and that everyone should have the same attitude toward organ donations."

Speaking at the event, Chinese Consul General in Sydney Wang Yu said Hancock's story vividly embodies the boundless humanitarian spirit of great love, reflects the deep friendship between the Chinese and Australian peoples, and illustrates the profound meaning of a shared future for humanity.

The event was jointly hosted by the Red Cross Society of China and the Chinese Consulate-General in Sydney. He Wei, president of the Red Cross Society of China, said Philip Hancock, through a great act of love transcending borders, race and belief, built a bridge of life and friendship between the peoples of China and Australia.

Invaluable spirit

The Australian's name, his kindness and his invaluable spirit will always remain in the hearts of the Chinese people, standing as a most touching, precious and heartfelt testament to China-Australia friendship, He said.

Gary Cowan, CEO of the National Foundation for Australia-China Relations, said Philip Hancock's story highlights both the lifesaving impact of organ donation and the importance of human connections across borders.

"It really reminds us of the very profound lifesaving ripple effect that organ donation has. And it also reminds us in a very tangible way of the very real value of people-to-people relationships between Australia and China and the long-term positive impact," he said.

For the five organ recipients, Philip Hancock's legacy has taken on a deeply personal and enduring meaning. After learning of his passion for music, they came together to form a band named "One-Man's Band", carrying forward Hancock's dream through performance and public engagement.

The group donates all proceeds from commercial performances and offline events to the Red Cross Society of Chongqing to support public awareness campaigns on organ donation.

Over the past eight years, staff members from the Red Cross Society of China regularly updated Philip Hancock's parents on the condition of his grave and memorial site, as well as the health of the five organ recipients, bringing comfort to the family back in Australia.