Heng Si Yun Adelle, 14

School: CHIJ Secondary

Topic: What does organ donation mean to you?

Award: Third Place, Junior Category, 2021

What exactly does organ donation mean? It could be simply put as one donating their organ to someone else. However, I see it as something more impactful. It is already a blessing to receive that phone call or text saying that there is an organ available however from a bigger perspective it is like giving someone a second chance at life. It is a little ray of sunshine piercing through the clouds in stormy weathers. I remember a video I encountered about organ donation, where a family decided to donate their late son’s face to someone who had their face burnt in a car accident. It got me thinking about how he was granted another opportunity with his new face. It was also touching as the family was kind of ‘reunited’ with their late son when they met the recipient. This not only gave a second chance for the person who required the organ transplant but also for the family as they got to see their late son’s face a little longer.

This brings me to my next point. Organ donation also means to show empathy and courage. At first, the family was hesitant to donate their son’s face however they felt pity for the person whose face was burnt. It must have taken a lot of courage to say “yes” and agree to the donation. I really admire them for their act of empathy and kindness to show that they care and are concerned for him. I also see organ donation as an opportunity for us to reach out to others in need and display our thoughtfulness.

Lastly, organ donation is to give hope. If there were no organ donors there would be no hope for anyone who requires such donations. There will be no one going about their lives anticipating the text or phone call allowing them to proceed with the transplant and be able to continue living life as normal as possible. They would simply have to accept the fact that they will never be able to live with that organ again. Without organ donation, there would be not much to look forward to if your organs have failed. However, with the gift of hope, thousands, if not more, people can go through their day still knowing that they still have someone who might be willing to give them a second chance. It also gives them the ability to continue to look forward in hope for an organ donation. A gift to live life again.

Disclaimer: Please note that the views and opinions expressed in the essays for the Live On Festival 2021 are those of the participants and are not endorsed by the National Organ Transplant Unit (Ministry of Health).

To learn more about organ donation and organ transplantation in Singapore, please visit www.liveon.gov.sg