Wong Rae Ann, 15

School: Hai Sing Catholic School

Topic: Roadshows are the most effective way to engage, educate and encourage all age groups on organ donation

Award: Special Mention, Senior Category, 2025

Roadshows are physical outreach events held in community spaces like malls. Heartlands are suburban areas that are populated by housing and lie outside of the city centre. Unlike digital campaigns that rely on passive scrolling, they educate the public on important issues like organ donation through face-to-face talks and activities. And unlike roadshows in city centres, many people are able to attend such roadshows conveniently without travelling far out to the city centre. Many may argue that such information can be easily accessed or seen when scrolling digitally. All from the comfort of their own home in a second. However, what about those who aren’t tech-savvy or don’t have easy access to the digital world? What about people who don’t have the time to travel far for such roadshows? This is why roadshows in heartlands are one of the most effective ways to engage, educate and encourage residents of all age groups on organ donation. 

Let’s be honest. If a roadshow is set up downtown, most of us won’t go. We’re busy, tired, or just not motivated to travel all the way into the city. But what if that same roadshow is just a five-minute walk away from home? Or in a place where we already run errands or hang out with friends? That makes all the difference. Suddenly, learning about organ donation isn’t a chore. It becomes part of our day, part of our neighbourhood experience. The heartlands, where many of us live, raise families, and grow old, are filled with people from all walks of life. From seniors enjoying their morning strolls, to busy parents doing grocery runs, to students heading home from school — these are the people who pass by a roadshow set up near their block or local mall. And because the roadshow is right there, in their everyday space, they are more likely to stop, listen, and perhaps even ask a question. And this matters especially for people who may not be as digitally connected — like the elderly. My own grandmother, for instance, does not own a smartphone, thus she wouldn’t even think about searching about information on organ donation online. But if she’s at the community centre and sees a friendly volunteer sharing stories or handing out brochures, she’ll stop and listen. That’s how roadshows reach people like her — not through hashtags or websites, but through its presence. 

Secondly, there’s just something so powerful about seeing someone stand in front of you, sharing how a donated organ saved their life — or how their loved one’s final act was to give life to someone else. It’s hard not to be moved by that. These moments create understanding and connection in a way the digital world never could. Once, I attended a roadshow where a mother talked about her son who passed away in an accident. Fighting back tears, she shared how he had signed up as an organ donor, and now, while he is not alive anymore, someone else is because his heart is beating in that person’s chest. To this day, I still recall the silence in the room, the way everyone leaned and cried with her. This is a type of personal connection no amount of digital scrolling could have created. That moment stayed with me. It made me rethink everything I thought about organ donation. At first, before the sharing, everyone seemed tense and hesitant, uncomfortable even. But after her story, the mood in the room shifted. It softened and many other people started opening up about their own stories, thoughts and intentions on organ donation as a whole. At that point, it wasn’t just an event anymore, it was a space of trust and empathy. And I believe that that moment did not just educate us, but connected everyone. I truly believe that that day as we went our separate ways after attending the roadshow, many of us walked away with a newfound human understanding and information on organ donation and what it really meant. 

Another power of heartland roadshows is their ability to spark lasting conversations. No, not just at the event, but at home too. Even over dinner tables, or between generations. For instance, a teenager might come home from the roadshow and ask their parents what they think about organ donation. An elderly resident might talk to their friends about what they learned while noticing the roadshow on organ donation when passing by. These conversations matter and they help to teach everyone about organ donation. They slowly shift culture, replacing people’s fear and avoidance on such a sensitive topic (organ donation) with understanding. In a society where organ donation is still a sensitive topic for many, these small, personal conversations are often the first and most important steps towards educating people of different ages on organ donation. 

Lastly, the beauty of roadshows in the heartlands is that even people who didn’t plan to learn about organ donation end up being exposed to it. Think about it. Maybe someone was rushing by to buy dinner, but then, they noticed a colourful poster that says, “One Donor Can Save 8 Lives.” Maybe a child tugs at their parents to go look at the spinning wheel booth set up at the roadshow while they are walking back home. Maybe someone overhears the talk during the roadshow and stays a little longer than they thought they would and ends up learning more about organ donation. Heartland roadshows plant knowledge — quietly, and unexpectedly. And soon, this knowledge grows. Someone might talk about it with their family. Someone might go home and register to be an organ donor. Someone might just begin to think differently about it. 

In conclusion, roadshows in the heartlands meet people where they already are. They make difficult conversations easier by wrapping them in warmth and human connection. By being present in everyday spaces, these roadshows don’t just spread awareness about organ donation, they spark curiosity, open doors to questions, and encourage people of all age groups to explore a topic that matters. They turn learning into fun moments. Hence, among all the ways to reach hearts and educate minds of all age groups on organ donation, roadshows in the heartlands remain one of the most appealing. All because sometimes, the most powerful movements begin not with a campaign, but with a conversation between humans.

Disclaimer: Please note that the views and opinions expressed in the essays for the Live On Festival 2025 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