Cheng Kai Jie, 14

School: Punggol Secondary School

Topic: Do donor families find hope in organ donation?

Award: Merit, Junior Category, 2022

The act of organ donation is the embodiment of sacrifice itself. It is a medical procedure in which an organ or more is removed from one body and placed in the body of a recipient, to replace a damaged or missing organ. It sounds like a petrifying process at first, to rip off an organ from a possibly living person, to place it inside the body of another, to take an organ from a perfectly fine human being to preserve the life of another. It seems intimidating to those who are not familiar with the concept. Yet, that opinion changes as we realise how organ transplantation is not about the perceived risks of the procedure, but rather how it is a voluntary, altruistic sacrifice to help those in dire medical conditions. These practices known as organ transplantations are ubiquitous in the medical world. Organ transplantation is something that can be worrying for the donor’s families, especially when they are still alive, and definitely not something that any person could just do on a whim without serious consequences.

Organ donors could face lifelong issues pertaining to either health or their basic needs. Organ donors could be met with disapproval from their religious families. This list of problems that I have curated seems to go on and on, but do not misunderstand. There is no jubilance that is sweeter than knowing your loved one helped save a human life. That your loved one could have helped a blind patient see the first colours of his life. That your loved one, played the part of breaking the shackles of a life of torment. If family is all about supporting and loving each other, should we not then support our family members who have done such noble things to sacrifice their own self to let others live? There are indubitable risks and dangers to organ donation. But is that not what makes a sacrifice a sacrifice? If sacrifice was unnecessary, how would you be able to save the lives of dozens of children? Is it far-fetched to support your loved one, in possibly their last gasp of air, to respect their last noble decision to donate their organs to save the lives of the dying, just like how they were before they were taken from this world? Sometimes there are things in life that we should concern less for the risks, and more for their power.

Should not we all have faith in those whom we hold dear, who are doing noble deeds and trying to save lives? Instead of worrying for our loved ones who are deciding to donate organs, we should be there to comfort them. Even if risks are present in the operation, there are many simple things that can be done such as going for testing on a regular basis to make sure that the surgery can go as smoothly as possible. We should not find doubt in the operation but be able to find hope in it and guide our loved ones through the course. I believe that families can definitely find hope in organ donation, given that they are able to support their family members and realise that what they are doing is trying to make a difference despite all these pertinent risks and dangers, and we should be there to help them through it as well.

The act of organ donation is the embodiment of sacrifice itself. Though it may seem like just a simple statement, it bears an undeniable truth of the kind-hearted and noble people willing to risk their lives and their health to make a difference on those who are dying and are in need of an organ. While it may be harmful, the organ donor is almost willing to let go of the harm, to be able to accept the possibility of the outcome that they and the patient are harmed, so that they might mutually benefit. The recipient with their health, and the donor with their heart. They are willing to sacrifice their own organ to replace that of another, so that another person may live. Such is the definition of organ transplantation. And hence we should not cast doubt or worry on the decision for our family members and loved ones to donate organs as such, we should support them through the tough time while they undertake the entire task of trying to save a life. And almost certainly, family members should be able to find hope in organ donation.

Disclaimer: Please note that the views and opinions expressed in the essays for the Live On Festival 2022 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