Chan Yu, 15

School: St. Joseph’s Institution

Topic: An email to the Head of CCA on an organ donation awareness project

Award: High Distinction, Senior Category, 2023

Life Saviours

Dear Mr Patrick,

I am Chan Yu, head of the St John Brigade team. In Singapore, despite our country’s globally acclaimed healthcare system, organ recipients have to enter a gruelingly long queue that spans years to tens of years before having their hands on these organs due to a shortage of organs available. According to Live On, the National Organ Transplant Unit (NOTU), “The average waiting time for a deceased donor kidney transplant is 7 years.* While waiting, they may develop other medical problems, causing their condition to deteriorate.” This phenomenon is attributed to Singaporeans lack of knowledge therefore unease and scepticism towards organ donation. As such, on behalf of the whole SJI St John Brigade team, I would like to propose “Life Saviours”.

“Life Saviours” would be a 4 day programme that would consist of 3 segments in our school.

Firstly, to give students a brief introduction to organ transplantation, we would look to organise a school-wide assembly, inviting medical professionals from this field as well as guest speakers to share more about organ transplants. Furthermore, we would love to have organ recipients to share their personal experiences prior to receiving their newly-acquired organs and how it has changed for the better due to someone’s kindness and selflessness.

Secondly, educational workshops by organisations such as Live On can be held during Co-Curricular Activity hours to offer in-depth information about organ donation, dispelling misconceptions surrounding organ donation and addressing concerns that students might have. Additionally, as members of the St John Brigade, cadets strive to serve mankind by relieving pain and suffering. Therefore, with collaboration with medical experts, we would like to set up booths during recess to cover the ethical aspects of organ donation, debunking myths that prevent healthy beings from donating. Many fear organ donation because of myths of it being life-threatening. In contrast, organ donation has minimal side effects such as bleeding and has no impact on how healthy you live. On the other hand, for recipients, their lives would be completely revitalised.

Finally, we propose to organise fundraisers such as the Bake Sale held throughout the 4 days of recess, with all proceeds going to reputable organ donation organisations. In the bake sale, the student body can expect muffins and pastry that are both for a good cause as well as delicious.

Not only is it entertaining, our project will have a profound impact on the student body. To start with, students will have a comprehensive understanding of organ donation, debunking myths and fostering informed decision-making. Next, through personal sharing of experiences, we hope to cultivate a sense of compassion amongst students, not just towards those who are suffering due to lack of key organs, rather, to be emphatic to all.

Even though we have yet to officially start our programme, the St John Brigade planning committee has already learnt so much from this project. The main takeaway is how urgent and big the organ donation crisis is. It was disheartening to find out the staggering number of people who are suffering because of the lack of key organs. In Singapore, there are over 400 individuals on the waiting list for an organ transplant. However, Singapore’s combined (both deceased and living) organ transplant rate for kidney was 16 per million population (pmp) in 2019, that is significantly lower than the demand for organs. Sadly, this crisis would most likely deepen because of Singapore’s rapidly ageing population as well as rising life expectancy. On the bright side, interacting with affected individuals was an eye-opening experience for the committee. Witnessing their struggles first hand made us feel incredibly privileged, at the same time, fostering us to be empathetic individuals who can connect and help out the needy in our community. Ultimately, our involvement in the planning committee provided us with a unique opportunity to develop and enhance our leadership skills. Throughout the hectic planning process, the committee had to cooperate effectively round the clock, delegating responsibilities to members, and adapting our plans based on feedback from teachers-in-charge. We also had to pick up crucial management skills because we had to draw up budgets, promote and negotiate with external stakeholders.

Raising awareness about organ donation and transplantation among the student population is of utmost importance due to numerous reasons. Firstly, educating the youth would break down borders, debunking myths and misconceptions about organ donation, fostering a culture of acceptance towards the operation. Secondly, education may prompt youths to engage in discussions with families about organ donation, potentially leading to more informed decisions and increased consent rate to operations such as kidney transplant. Lastly, by educating and involving the young people of today, a firm foundation has been established for a magnanimity society that values the significance and importance of organ donation.

I, once again, on behalf of the St John Brigade, thank you for considering our proposal. We are excited about the immense potential this initiative can have on our school community. We look forward to your feedback and guidance on how to proceed. Thank you for taking time to read our proposal.

Yours sincerely,
Chan Yu, Head of St John Brigade

References

1. NOTU (National Organ Transplant unit)

2. https://health.ucsd.edu/care/transplant-programs/quality/

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