With the recent publication of the “opt out” bill in Wales,
Organ donation is suddenly back on the front pages. It is a topic we can all claim to be aware of, yet there
remain grey areas. As it rapidly grows in importance across our different,
vibrant communities, this article seeks to examine the importance of Organ Donation
to our wider society.
Perhaps one should begin by defining the term – what exactly
is organ donation? Organ donation, literally, is the selfless giving of one’s
organs from one person to another. The donor expects nothing in return, and
that is part of the reason why it is labelled as donation. Phrased differently,
organ donation is a charitable act, one that provides an opportunity to gift a
person a new lease of life.
Modern medicine has made vast strides forward in the past
century. Advances in our knowledge of
the human anatomy, together with the innovations in surgical skill have allowed
for the seamless transfers of organs. The first successful organ donation, a
kidney transplant, took place in 1954, almost 60 years ago. This was then
followed by the first heart transplant, in 1967. Since then, the technique has been applied to
other organs, from the liver and lungs to the pancreas and small bowel. Modern
medicine continues to storm ahead in its quest for improving humanity’s
standard of living, yet many of us remain stationary, still oblivious to the
wider benefits, lost in the 1950s...
At the risk of appearing biased or swayed by emotions, it is
perhaps important to quote some statistics. All data quoted is readily
available on the NHS Organ Donation website WWW.ORGANDONATION.NHS.CO.UK.
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There are currently more than 10,000 people in
the UK, waiting for an organ
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An average of 3 people die every day in the UK
alone, waiting for an organ
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One single organ donor can save up to 9 lives
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The shortage is increasing, with people living
longer and an ageing population.
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Anyone can register - age is not a barrier and
neither are most medical conditions
We have developed a technique for saving and extending human
lives, yet we continue to hear stories, from those close to us and the media,
that a life was lost due to a shortage of donors.
The truth is that despite a host of campaigns across the
country, the demand for organs surpasses the supply. There are far more people
in need of an organ than those signed up on the NHS Organ Donor Register. Within
some communities the problem is severe, meaning that the chances of receiving
an organ are close to nil.
The Black and Asian communities suffer from this problem the
most. Black people are 3 times more likely to develop kidney failure, when
compared to the general population. The Asian community are 3 to 4 times more
likely to require an organ when compared to the White community, due to their increased
susceptibility to diabetes and heart disease. At the same time however, these
communities also suffer from a shortage of organ donors, given there is a
shortage of Black and Asian donors. As organs need to be matched, (and this is
often within ethnic groups), a problem within a specific community remains entrenched
within it and becomes self-multiplying.
The natural question to ask, would be why do these problems
pervade. Given all the benefits of organ donation, one could attribute the
problems to a lack of information across communities. It may be that despite
the benefits of organ donation, many people have not given it thought. The
benefits of signing up to the Organ Donor Register are indirect are dependent
upon others also signing. A lack of collective will to join the Register is difficult
to target.
In addition, there are also perceived conflicts between one’s
faith and organ donation. However given
that all the major world religions actively support organ donation, there is,
here yet again, another example of information failure.
The three Western religions of Christianity, Islam and
Judaism all expressing their support for organ donors. The Christian faith is based upon the
revelation of God in the life of Jesus Christ. Jesus taught people to love one
another, and to embrace the needs of others. Organ donation can be considered
by Christians as a genuine act of love. Islamic law emphasises the preservation
of human life. The general rule that 'necessities permit the prohibited'
(al-darurat tubih al-mahzurat), has been used to support human organ donation
with regards to saving or significantly enhancing a life of another providing
that the benefit outweighs the personal cost that has to be borne. Similarly, Judaism
sanctions and encourages organ donation in order to save lives ("pikuach
nefesh"). This principle can override the Jewish objections to any
unnecessary interference with the body after death, and the requirement for
immediate burial.
The three major Eastern religions of Buddhism, Hinduism and
Sikhism also share support for the concept. While within Buddhism, organ donation is
respected as an individual choice, it is also written that The
Buddha in a previous life gave his body to a starving tigress who could not
feed her cubs, and in another life in which he even gave his eyes to someone
who wanted them. In Hinduism, Daan is the original word in
Sanskrit for donation meaning selfless giving. In the list of the ten Niyamas
(virtuous acts) Daan comes third. There is also an explicit mention in
favour donating your body within the Laws of Manu/ The Manusmruti. The Sikh
philosophy and teachings place great emphasis on the importance of giving and
putting others before oneself. Seva or selfless service is at the core of being
a Sikh; to give without seeking reward or recognition and know that all seva is
known to and appreciated by the Eternal. Seva can also be donation of one's
organ to another.
Another reason often cited for not signing up on the
Register is fear. Fear of how one’s organs will be used, fear of how one’s body
will be treated, fear generated from past stories heard, fears from stories of
the illegal organ trade prevalent in many developing countries. One cannot
blame someone for holding such a belief, as fear is often substantiated by an
earlier experience or story. However, the NHS has made it its priority to
ensure that organs are treated with the utmost of respect to the deceased, and
the wishes of those close to the deceased are accommodated.
This article understands that Organ Donation is a deeply
personal choice. However, we also believe that because this choice is personal,
it has been neglected by society. We believe that there has not been enough awareness
raised for people to make an informed personal judgement on becoming an organ
donor. By increasing awareness, we hope to aid people in making their personal
decisions to sign or not sign up as an organ donor. We hope to debunk many of the myths often cited for not wanting to sign up as an organ donor, by presenting the bigger picture, one that is of enormous benefit to a society that is currently in deep recession, facing an ageing population and a NHS that may be subject to spending cuts.
The writers are founders of the Redbridge Social Group
Immortal, focused on targeting and increasing awareness on Organ Donation.
