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Most people see dilemma when handling matters concerning organ donation and transplantation .In real sense, this issue can, and still sounds difficult if we dont try to be realistic .Depending on our different cultural beliefs, many people oppose the idea of organ donation. However, some view organ donation as a heroic decision and socially acceptable activity based on the notion of helping to save life. Such positive notions and believes about organ donation must be advanced to increase the number of those signing up for organ donation program in Michigan and other states. The government has tried its best to help and boost organ donation through a number of initiatives, and people would be helpful if they considered the importance of organ donation and responded positively. In Michigan, people willing to donate organ can now freely do so by starting to give their names to the Michigan Organ Donor Registry (Department of State, 2008). Considering the huge number of people in need of different body organs today, and the many that are dying each day due to organ problems, a socially upright member of our society should not consider it a big issue to donate an organ to a recipient who is in danger of dying .I really consider it a life saving process that every one should also heed to. Data is alarming on the number of organ recipients. According to the UNOS-United Network for Organs Sharing-research, in every 16 minutes, a new name is added to the nation transplant waiting list. The same source indicated that there were about 53,000 patients waiting for transplantation. That was by 1998. A huge number of Americans totaling to 55,000 are awaiting organs recipient. In 1996 almost 1000 people died waiting liver transplantation in America and more than 9,800 are waiting it currently .This means that without having good hearted people willing to donate organs to the needing recipient there is a danger of loosing many people each year as a result of organic problems (Prange, 1998). Currently, Michigan is in dire need of volunteers who wish to save life by rendering their organs for donation. Its actually important and very necessary to do anything to make sure that you help to have somebody survive death .According to our different religion backgrounds, we are taught the importance of life and thats why I consider it important to help those in need of different organ problems, by rendering our parts to help them live. It is time people did away with the negative notions and questions posited against organ donating, and possibly consider it in a different perspective-such as if they were the recipient. When handling such issues like organ donation, many questions may arise in our mind, such as what would happen to our tender bodies after some of our organs are taken out? Its actually a shock to many, but if we look into our society, many people who have donated organs are there and breathing well. It is amazing that someone may think twice while donating an organ yet the same person would not do so to receive one. In my opinion, we all should some times be at a position of doing what we would like others to do for our selves. This is an important initiative that would make our society to grow. Its always good to help those in need than to need help. That does not mean that we should not care while donating our organs. We are still responsible and whole responsible for our lives. After all, no body has an extra organ and therefore the issue must be viewed at the perspective of donors sacrifice. Therefore, there are different things that we should consider before donating our organs to recipients. Such include our current health status and the status after donation. By doing so, we are at a better position of examining it, and coming up with a clear decision on whether to give or not. For example, there would be no need for a medically fit person to donate a body organ to save life and after some few days die. Also the state of mind as far as the donation is concerned. Is your mind ready to help by donating? Brain is the controller of every thing in the human body and so it might happen that without the consent of brain, some things as crucial as surgical operations that are a must during transplantation would bring out issues. But what could save a great deal is the changing of our attitudes to accommodate organ donation in our lives. The final decision to donate an organ may be influenced by a wide range of factors. It is a good idea to consult medical experts before engaging yourself in organ donation for medical advice. Doctors may advise you to go ahead and donate, or drop your idea if at all your body is not at a position of donating. They may also advise on the type of meals that a donor of an organ should feed on to avoid future injuries in the body. Sharing ideas of your intention to donate with friends and relatives is another important issue. Members of the family willing to donate an organ or at a position to must be spoken to before the donation (Hubpages, 2010), and if a positive word is given, this person may give in. By doing so one is at a position of hearing their views as far as this mater is concerned. Having known scientific facts that an organ of a person about to die with an early harvesting and proper preservation can be transplanted to a recipient, I find it important to be done, but with the owners consent. Saving a life is good than to loose two. And if one is in any way going to die in few hours, I think its necessary to use that chance to ensure that another life is saved. It is a good thing for people to know the importance of organ donation as a way of saving live. Organ donation is the most tremendous gift one can receive today. Everyone should put this into consideration. Its a socially upright thing to think of becoming an organ donor, since nobody knows if you may estate from being an organ donor today and tomorrow becomes an organ recipient. To those that have in one way or the other received or given their body organs, they portray a good heroic example of human acts since, for example, one organ from one person can save up to 50 people (MedlinePlus, 2009). This can lead to saving many lives that would otherwise have been lost. In Michigan, a positive attitude towards organ donation would assist the many people in need, and would be a heroic move. I want to call upon people to save life today by signing for organ donation. This is not enough. A call to every one to join in donating and campaigning to mobilize the mass on the importance of it, and this is an extended hand. Further more, such disasters can only be eliminated by nothing lesser than rendering our bodies for this cause.
References Department of State. (2008). Organ donation. Retrieved 5 February 2010 from http://www.michigan.gov/sos/0,1607,7-127-34786---,00.html Hubpages. (2010). The importance of organ donation. Retrieved 5 February 2010 from http://hubpages.com/hub/The-importance-of-Organ-Donation MedlinePlus. (2009). Organ donation. Retrieved 5 February 2010 from http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/organdonation.html Prange. M. (1998).The importance of organ donation. Retrieved 5 February 2010 from http://www.editorsguild.com/v2/magazine/Newsletter/MayJun98/organ.html
Copyrighted 2011.
A Practical experience in Organ Donation Registry Booth as an Ambassador
Aditi M Sengupta, National Postdoctoral Association, American College of Physicians Associate
Humanity is often faced with challenges such as disease, natural disasters and war that cause us pain and suffering. While it is impossible to evade these harsh realities of human life, we can try alleviate some of the suffering through various efforts. The Ypsilanti Lions Club at Eastern Michigan University attempts to do just that even if at a small scale since we believe that even if our efforts positively effect on only one person, then we will have given something valuable to humanity. Beginning 16th February 2010 through to the 18th the Ypsilanti Lions club organized the organ donation registry table whose main purpose was to invite people from all walks of life to literally give a piece of themselves to others. Considering the deficit of organs for transplantation in hospitals, this was indeed a very noble gesture. The event was set to be a part of an ongoing inter- campus challenge within various schools in the area. Its main aim was to provide information about the importance of organ donation and also registering the members who were willing to participate in this noble cause. According to Jett, a writer with the Eastern Echo Newspaper, the students at the university were very positive about the whole process and were equally excited at the prospect of making a positive contribution to the society on such a monumental issue. An organ donation specialist at the university, Ms Boldon, devoted much of her time to spread the word about the exercise. Boldon set up a Facebook page, contacted the radio stations about the event and sent a lot of emails to ensure that people register in their hundreds. The event was attended by some members of the Ypsilanti lions club of Eastern Michigan University, Ann Arbor Lions Club and several other representatives from the MI eye bank and Gift of life organization through out the three days. People flocked the table to gather information and at least 84 of them registered online after being satisfied by the information provided. What really moved me was the fact that people had over the years realized the importance of helping each other without expecting any gains. Volunteering to give someone else a piece of you so that the too can have a chance of living is not only humane but also a virtue that should be implemented by all. In one case, a man who had lost his wife to cancer 10years back came by and registered himself as a donor as if it were not enough he himself was suffering from bladder cancer but instead of self loathing, he made a choice to help out those who with his organs would live longer. In addition to this, a lady in charge of the Faculty Development Center also came by and registered her name as a donor. This two examples show different people with different social status being joined in oneness towards a common goal to save humanity. The support offered by the university, the gift of life organization and members of the public was indeed impressive. The international student office, womens Center and Lesbian, Gay and Transgender centers at the university had promised their support to this exercise and they fulfilled their obligations. According to Pietroski, the chief executive officer at the Gift of Life organization in Michigan, students are great supporters of organ donation exercises and the campus challenge is by far the most successful event in regards to the donations. Since 2004 this challenge has inspired an estimated 22,000 people to sign in and as the years progress new methods are being implemented to ensure that the word reaches as many people as possible within the campus and in the communities around them. This is one of the initiatives that should be included in all the schools around the world. This is because the value of human life should be protected and maintained and this is one way to ensure that a life is saved and collectively it will be salvation of humanity as a race.
After one year from the event on looking back it seems that the importance of donating or pledging to donate organs has not decreased rather the need has increased and outreach is an essential component of Education for Gift of Life which needs to be reinforced time and over again.
Copyrighted 2011
