Ma Weiyi, 16

School: Dunman High School

Topic: Can social media make a positive impact on organ donation?

Award: High Distinction, Senior Category, 2023

Transformative Media, Transforming Lives

Introduction

From the point-like particles of high-energy physics to the boundless expanses of the far-reaching cosmos, everything under and above the sun has been the topic of avid discussion on a certain ilk of platforms we deem to be crucial to our regular routines – social media. Sites like Instagram, Twitter, Reddit, and TikTok have evidently dominated the cultivated fields from which we garner information from, as global affairs and local news alike are ubiquitously prevalent on these platforms, constantly being pushed into an interminable cycle of distribution and consumption among billions of Internet users.

The issue of finding suitable organ donors remains a grotesque nightmare, with astonishingly-low donation rates threatening the solemn deaths of unfortunate individuals, even in developed and affluent countries. Singapore’s organ donation rate sits at a dismal figure of 5 donors per million population with a gruelling 9-year waiting period for kidney transplants, cutting into our healthcare sector with ugly scars of unavailable organs. In the USA, 43,000 precious lives are lost annually due to the lack of organ donors, despite impressive surges in the proportion of organ donors within recent years. This shortage of organ donation is the point of contention which plagues medical societies around the globe, causing needless deaths amidst ardent searches for suitable donors and the perennial race against time.

However, there appears to be a rising trend of stories related to organ donation – medical patients desperate for organ donors turning to social media for help, intermittently resulting in joyous posts announcing the identification of a satisfactory donor. Take Bo Harris for instance; the 55-year-old American was diagnosed with chronic kidney disease in 2015. After countless medical appointments, severe bouts of fatigue, and onerous battles with illnesses, he turned to Instagram as a last resort in early 2020. Much to his elated surprise, tremendous barrages of assistance came pouring in, and he managed to undergo kidney transplantation in April 2021 after finding a suitable donor.

Could social media be a prominent catalyst in paving the way for raised organ donation awareness? A myriad assortment of online strangers; are these the heroes we need to remedy this seemingly-insurmountable chasm of the absence of much-needed organ donors? Personally, I believe social media does have profound and constructive implications for organ donation for a few reasons – (1) spreading well-intentioned awareness about organ donation beyond geographical barriers, (2) facilitating donor-donee connections in the pursuit of suitable organ donations, and (3) mobilising financial support.

Reach and Awareness

First and foremost, the vast reach of social media platforms expedites the magical ability to seize the attention of people from diverse backgrounds and geographical locations.

It is no secret that unimaginable amounts of people are present on various social media sites. Statistics show that nearly 3 billion people use Facebook, with YouTube and Instagram trailing behind at astronomical counts of 2.5 billion and 2 billion users respectively. In this rapidly-advancing digital age, social media has become a streamlined tool to circulate information among people from all walks of life. Such platforms transcend geographical barriers, hence augmenting the size of audiences and boosting public awareness through the widespread dissemination of factual information about organ donation.

Leveraging the usage of these platforms is critical in enabling awareness about the topic of organ donation, and it certainly appears that individuals and organisations alike have done so, to much avail. Campaigns like #BeTheMatch and #DonateLife has gained significant traction on Twitter and Instagram, with hundreds of thousands of posts consisting of educational material related to organ donation. Such campaigns also expedite the fostering of public discussion, as burning questions enquired by curious people can be easily answered by trustable medical professionals, and impassioned experiences shared by those in need of organ transplants can pull on the heartstrings of individuals, igniting fuel for urgent support and dispelling deep-seated misconceptions within communities.

Facilitation of Organ Matching

Furthermore, social media can facilitate organ matching by providing a platform for individuals in need of organ transplants and potential donors to connect and communicate.

A 2019 study that investigated donation-related Twitter usage discovered an active social media community publicly affiliated with living organ donation and engaging in productive conversations, thereby concluding that Twitter provides pragmatic opportunities to point curious individuals in the direction of verified and reputable sources curated by organ transplant communities. In the same year, a survey of the American Society of Transplant Surgeons showed that 61% of members supported information sharing with transplant recipients via social media. David Fleming, president and CEO of Donate Life America, said that “people who reach out on social media are much more successful in finding a living donor.”

It is increasingly apparent that social media is becoming the new norm when it comes to organ matching. Transplant centres worldwide walk patients through the steps necessary to use social media to obtain a living donor, whilst transplant professionals are gradually turning to such platforms to engage patients. Social media allows for the expression of individual identity and the construction of intimate relations typically needed to prompt living organ donations. This has been met with a plethora of success stories; for example, Kenneth Hunter, a fire department officer, started an online search for a kidney donor according to suggestions by a social worker at his dialysis centre. Composing a heartfelt plea and sending it to 2,337 contacts, a former co-worker reached out and was able to donate through a donor exchange. Hunter now leads an exuberant life with his new kidney, and no longer requires dialysis. This is a clear indication that social media is greatly assisting in connecting donees to donors, acting as a powerful utilisation in organ matching.

Mobilising Fundraising

Lastly, social media has tremendous implications for heightening fundraising support for financially-disadvantaged patients.

Kidney transplants in Singapore involve a costly setback of up to $45,000 dollars, whereas a heart transplant in China costs $130,000 dollars, and in the USA, billed charges can easily reach 7 figures. Organ transplantation is an exorbitant and costly process, a dispiriting hindrance to patients who face financial difficulties and are unable to fork over this ghastly cost. Though schemes like Singapore’s MediShield and the USA’s Medicare aim to alleviate the burdens that encumber organ transplant patients, there are multitudinous occasions where such aids may not sufficiently offset bleak obstacles that impede patients. As such, a substantial proportion of patients turn to social media for help, even in countries with robust health insurance systems like Canada and the United Kingdom.

Crowdfunding platforms like GoFundMe have been utilised widely by organ donation patients to raise funds for expenses like organ transplantation. From 2010 to 2016, GoFundMe raised US$930 million out of a total US$2 billion for healthcare-related campaigns, and the platform further produced a donation amount of US$650 million in 2017 alone. Patients usually share their crowdfunding campaigns in social media posts, urging followers and supporters to chip in financial contributions. Some platforms like Tumblr and Facebook also provide facilitation of secure transactions, simplifying the process of donation. By leveraging the extensive reach of social media platforms, links can be spread to a larger audience with barely any effort, ultimately resulting in a positive impact on organ donation rates and the mobilisation of medical-related fundraising.

The Caveats of Social Media

However, it is crucially important to note that social media is not an all-encompassing, overarching solution to low organ donation rates, and that social media harbours malicious side-effects which may result in catastrophic repercussions when treading recklessly.

Though most people are well-intentioned and attempt to spread information they believe to be factual, social media platforms are always susceptible to misinformation and unverified claims, leading to baseless misconceptions and blatant ignorance about organ transplants. Furthermore, the unique circumstances of organ donation may result in the accidental leaking of sensitive information, which may be destructive when leveraged by harmful groups. It is always important to understand that social media platforms cannot replace thorough medical evaluations posited by trusted professionals; potential donors and recipients ought to undergo necessary screenings, compatibility assessments, and legal protocols, before engaging in medical procedures.

The most effective counteraction to such caveats is vigilance. By being mindful of potential dangers, individuals and organisations alike can navigate social media platforms responsibly to great efficacy, thereby raising awareness, facilitating connections, and mobilising support with minimal detriments.

Conclusion

Amidst the dreary voids of organ donor shortages, social media acts as a scintillating ray of light within these dismal times, providing an opportune alternative to battle against the undercurrents of healthcare shortcomings. Possessing the stupefying ability to reach millions of individuals worldwide, the modernised and sped-up facilitation of organ matching, and the benign catalysis of fundraising, such platforms are magical weapons in slicing through the stumbling blocks that obstruct patients from receiving the much-needed help they require. Concurrently, individuals and organisations alike should practise caution and vigilance in order to ensure that they do not fall victim to pernicious threats, for its versatility may very well be our downfall.

References

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2. Matthews, D. (2019, January 2). Kidney disease: transplant shortage kills over 40,000 per year. Vox. https://www.vox.com/future-perfect/2019/1/2/18165077/kidney-disease-transplant-waiting-list

3. Paul, K. (2021, February 16). The people using Instagram to find a life-saving kidney donor. The Guardian. https://www.theguardian.com/media/2021/feb/13/kidney-donation-social-media-instagram-facebook

4. Biggest social media platforms 2023 | Statista. (2023, February 14). Statista. https://www.statista.com/statistics/272014/global-social-networks-ranked-by-number-of-users/

5. Home. (n.d.). DonateLife. https://www.donatelife.gov.au/

6. BeTheMatch.org. (n.d.). HomePage. https://bethematch.org/

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8. Henderson, M. L., Adler, J. T., Van Pilsum Rasmussen, S. E., Thomas, A. G., Herron, P., Waldram, M. M., Ruck, J. M., Purnell, T. S., DiBrito, S. R., Holscher, C. M., Haugen, C. E., Alimi, Y., Konel, J. M., Eno, A. K., Garonzik-Wang, J., Gordon, E. J., Segev, D. L., Schaffer, R., Cameron, A. M., & Segev, D. L. (2019). How Should Social Media Be Used in Transplantation? A Survey of the American Society of Transplant Surgeons. Transplantation, 103(3), 573–580. https://doi.org/10.1097/tp.0000000000002243

9. Pullen, L. C. (2021). Can Social Media Cultivate Living Organ Donors? American Journal of Transplantation, 21(11), 3505–3506. https://doi.org/10.1111/ajt.16051

10. K Diddapur, R. (2022). The Ultimate Guide to Getting an Organ Transplant in Singapore (2020). Human. https://www.human.com.sg/organ-transplant-singapore

11. Statista. (2015, February 27). Prices of substitute body parts in selected countries. https://www.statista.com/statistics/202043/prices-of-selected-body-parts-by-country/

12. Henderson, M. L., Clayville, K., Fisher, J., Kuntz, K. K., Mysel, H., Purnell, T. S., Schaffer, R., Sherman, L. A., Willock, E. P., & Gordon, E. J. (2017). Social media and organ donation: Ethically navigating the next frontier. American Journal of Transplantation, 17(11), 2803–2809. https://doi.org/10.1111/ajt.14444

13. Pol, S. J., Snyder, J., & Anthony, S. J. (2019). “Tremendous financial burden”: Crowdfunding for organ transplantation costs in Canada. PLOS ONE, 14(12), e0226686. https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0226686

Disclaimer: Please note that the views and opinions expressed in the essays for the Live On Festival 2023 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