World Organ Donation Day

WORLD ORGAN DONATION DAY

“Thank you! My son will always be alive within you.'' This was the emotional thanksgiving by Marla, the mother of 30 year old Rob, who died in a tragic workplace accident in 2017. She and her husband Bob  made the lifesaving decision to donate their child’s organs, helping 15 people – including heart transplant recipient, Elisabeth. Elisabeth had been previously diagnosed with heart failure as the side effects of chemotherapy. She is all well now, thanks to Rob’s parents who made a hard decision of donating their only child’s organs.

 

Living in the 21st century, it makes me simply hopeless sometimes, seeing people make horrible comments on others' videos posted on social media. We are indifferent to news about horrendous cases of bullying, rape and murders, which makes it is hard not to be pessimistic. But optimism soars into me like high tide and my heart swells with happiness crying out loud– Humanity is still alive, after witnessing such selfless people helping others.

 

Saying that being an organ recipient is hard, would be an understatement. The feeling of being on the brink of death everyday, unsure of seeing the rising sun the next day is inevitably tough.

 

Dr. Thomas Volk, a Mycologist studying mushrooms at the University of Wisconsin described his experience with heart transplant in a video dating back to 2018. After surviving cancer in 1997, radiation therapy damaged Volk's heart. Following numerous years of many different medications and procedures, he eventually had a heart transplant in 2006. He tells the audience in the video about how he cried for a long time after receiving the call from the clinic when they told him that they had a heart for him. His surgery took about three hours to finish. But it was not the end, he had to undergo daily check-ups for a month, take heavy medications to adapt his body to the new organ and of course, the side effects that came with it. He couldn't be more grateful though. He tearfully thanked the donor and his family for keeping him alive.

 

This Organ Donation Day, let’s pledge to bring change in someone’s life. To save someone from the jaws of death. To gift someone a bright new morning. One doesn't need to be a doctor to save lives.

A single decision can save a life. Quoting Aubrey de Grey, "There is no difference between saving lives and extending lives, because in both cases we are giving people the chance of more life.”