A True Undertaking - Organ Donation

A True Undertaking – Organ Donation
By: Chai Ya Yin


Hi, dear readers, do you all familiar with ‘organ donation’? What does it mean to all of you? Do you ever think about donating your organs after your death? It is indeed a very vital issue to give a deep thought as we can save a lot of life if we are willing to do so.

Actually, what is organ donation? It is the removal of the tissue of the human body from a person who has recently died, or from a living donor, for the purpose of transplant. Organs and tissues are removed in procedures similar to surgery, and all incisions are closed at the conclusion of the surgery. People of all ages may be organ and tissue donors.

Nowadays, donations from dead donors far outweigh donations by living ones. The laws of different countries allow either the potential organ donor to consent or dissent to the donation during his or her life time, or allow the potential donor's relatives to consent or dissent. Due to cultural issues and different legislative possibilities, the number of donations per million people varies substantially in different countries

Organs that can be procured include the heart, intestines, kidneys, lungs, liver, pancreas. These are procured from a brain dead donor or a donor where the family has consent for donation after cardiac death, known as non-heart-beating donation.
The following tissues can be procured: bones, tendons, corneas, heart valves, femoral veins, great saphenous veins, small saphenous veins, pericardium, skin grafts, and the sclera (the tough, white outer coating surrounding the eye). These are only procured after death. Organs that can be donated from living donors include part of the liver or pancreas and the kidney.

See, there are so many live that we can save out of our one body. It is all depend on us whether we want to do it or not. It is really a meaningful mission after death – by bringing hopes to the world.

However, there are still some arguments towards organ donation. In old days, people are not performing this ritual because they think that the complete body is main key for the spirit of the death people to go the heaven. Old people who have a deep believe in superstitious will allow neither themselves nor their family members to have the organ donation. They already set in their mind that if their lost parts of their body, they will not free from the world.

In my own opinion, I think that organ donation is good; it is a form of charity. As for me, charities do not mean that we can only donate money, food, or any other necessaries to the needed, but we still can have this good attitude even though after our death by leaving our organs continue to function in other people’s body. We can thus set a very good example to next generation. By doing this, we can convince the people around us that donating organs do not bring any harm, but in turn it brings cheers to the world.

However, there are some problems arise from organ donation, where some illegal selling of organs happen all around the dark market. Some poor people from villages are willing to sell their organs like kidneys in order to make a living. This can lead to the money-minded community continue to remain in our society, making the lost of the real purpose of organ donation.

In conclusion, organ donation is a way to bring hope, happiness and also thankfulness in people. We should never make it a way to make money as this cause make evil to take over our mind.