Live On Festival Awards 2025 (Essay)

Ms Sally Kong (Deputy Director, National Organ Transplant Unit, Ministry of Health)

LOF - Design & Essay Competition Judging Panel

The essays this year continue to impress me. It has been a joy reading each piece, many of which were stirring, and masterfully crafted.

The essays that stood out were those that demonstrated a profound understanding of the complex emotions surrounding organ donation, from grief and loss to hope and renewal. These essays offered sincere reflections marked by emotional maturity, quiet compassion and a nuanced understanding of the human significance behind the act of organ donation.

I was especially heartened by the entries from the Junior Category. Our young writers were able to grasp the heavy emotional weight of organ donation, and to be able to reflect it with such empathy. Through their interviews and storytelling, they demonstrated tenderness, with reflections that were candid, warming and authentic.

I wish to congratulate all winners for your dedication and passion in contributing to this broader movement of advancing societal awareness on organ donation. Your words have not only enlightened and persuaded, but they have also inspired.

Dr Daphne Ng (Science Communication Lead, Nanyang Technological University)

LOF - Essay Competition Judging Panel

I am impressed by the participants' maturity and empathy when writing about the potentially sensitive topic of organ donation. The pieces highlight how organ donation is a compassionate act that saves lives, while also tactfully acknowledging its challenges.

This competition and the Live On Festival show how effective communication can shape perceptions and catalyse change. Congratulations to the winners and good job everyone!

Mr Daryl Yam (Managing Editor, (AFTERIMAGE), Sing Lit Station)

LOF - Essay Competition Judging Panel

I would like to thank the team at the National Organ Transplant Unit for organising this annual essay competition. As someone who also works in the advocacy space, I understand the importance of reaching out to students in order to inculcate important values, spread awareness, and impart necessary lessons to the very people who will eventually become active and crucial members of our society.

I would like to thank the team at the National Organ Transplant Unit for organising this annual essay competition. As someone who also works in the advocacy space, I understand the importance of reaching out to students in order to inculcate important values, spread awareness, and impart necessary lessons to the very people who will eventually become active and crucial members of our society.

Let’s never underestimate the role of writing and storytelling as a shaper of hearts and minds. I remember being a university student when I first read Kazuo Ishiguro’s touching and effecting novel Never Let Me Go, and I was just a teenager when I found myself crying my heart out at the season two finale of Grey’s Anatomy - this was how I encountered the topic of organ donation as a youth, and I still remember these stories till this day, many many years later, which is also why I no longer need convincing about the importance of organ donation.

It is only my hope that we continue to spread the word and keep on passing on the wisdom that’s necessary in order to save lives.

Dr Nuraliah Norasid (Lecturer, Language and Communication Centre, Nanyang Technological University)

LOF - Essay Competition Judging Panel

In reading the entries for the writing competition, I am at once amazed and challenged by the writers, who approached the theme from many different angles - some advocating for live organ donations within families, others reflecting on the emotional and moral complexities of donating the organs of a deceased loved one. Several essays critically examined the effectiveness of public outreach, namely roadshows, in shaping awareness and encouraging pledges. Others ventured into philosophical territory, considering what altruism means in the context of giving a part of oneself - literally or metaphorically - to save another. Each one was a meaningful reflection on what many of the writers rightly pointed out as the most selfless of human acts - the most humane of humanity.

In evaluating the essays, we considered clarity of thought, originality, emotional resonance, and the ability to engage with both the practical and moral dimensions of organ donation. It was heartening to see not only strong writing, but also genuine compassion and intellectual honesty throughout the submissions. Across the board, the essays showed a great degree of empathy, clarity, and the willingness to grapple with difficult questions through creative imagination, critical reasoning, and careful research.

I heartily congratulate all who took part in this meaningful exercise, and in doing so became part of a larger conversation on an issue that is as personal as it is public. Your work has the potential to shift perspectives and, ultimately, even save lives. Thus, it has been a privilege to read and assess the entries.

Ms Vivian Teo (Best-Selling & Award-Winning Children’s Book Author)

LOF - Essay Competition Judging Panel

It was such an honour to serve as a judge for this year’s Live On Festival essay competition. From essays offering eloquent perspectives on encouraging organ donation, to heartfelt stories and letters that tugged at the heartstrings, to creative solutions for raising awareness—reading this year’s submissions was both eye-opening and an absolute pleasure. I was truly impressed by the thought and effort poured into each entry.

To all participants: your voices matter, and your stories have the power to inspire real change. Whether you wrote from personal experience, crafted imaginative narratives, or proposed bold ideas, your words contribute to a vital conversation on organ donation. Keep writing, keep sharing, and keep using your creativity to make a difference in the world around you.