Why you should donate your organs

I made the decision to donate my organs about five years ago.

The older I get, the more strongly I feel that it is the right decision. Here I would like to appeal on behalf of the needy to the overwhelming majority of us who are blessed with the privilege of being healthy.

I’m both encouraged and sceptical when people say they want to change the world. What is the thing that you want to do to make other people’s lives better? Why do you want to do that? Do you want to change the world because you care to improve other people’s lives or because it makes you feel good?

Going on a two-week voluntary programme at some ravaged third-world country is probably not going to change other people’s lives for the better. You visit them but you are unlikely to improve their quality of life. On the contrary, you are the one who gains perspective and exposure.

You may raise funds for a charity, give food to the homeless or provide basic necessities to the poor and orphans. That is all good, but there is also something else you could do to instantly and certainly improve other people’s lives: sign up to give away your organs when you no longer need them.

Think about it. Each of your organs can be harvested to give life to anywhere between one to five persons. A person who has never seen the colours of a rainbow. A person who could die at anytime due to malfunctioning heart. A person who is ashamed of himself/herself due to skin disease. A person who cannot walk because of failed kidneys. You could give life to these people. You can give them a chance to live again.

When you sign up as an organ donor, you don’t know who will benefit from your organs. You will not be around to hear the praises or receive the thanks from the persons and families whom you have helped. But what you do know is that when your time is up, you will still be able to perform a few final acts of kindness.

Anyone regardless of age and socioeconomic status can be an organ donor. One of the interesting things I discovered is that wealth does not govern patient selection. Your organs will be given to those who need them the most urgently (with the right tissue matching and medical conditions).

Among the organs you can donate include kidneys, heart, liver, lungs and pancreas. For some unknown reasons to me (probably medical), donation of heart, liver, lung and pancreas can only occur in the case of brain death. Some of the tissues that can be donated are corneas, skin, bone, middle ear bones, bone marrow, connective tissues and blood vessels.

If you have reservations about donating certain organs, fret not! Organ donation is not an all-or-nothing. When you pledge as an organ donor, you can choose which organs you want to donate. Of course, you can also tick the “all” box (personal recommendation).

There are a few common myths which might have contributed to the lack of organ donation in Malaysia. Some, like myself, could be worried that the our bodies will be very ugly after all the organs are taken away. According to the Malaysian Society of Transplantation, the body will be stitched up after the organs are taken, just as though you had undergone a surgery. If you donate your eyes, they will even insert artificial eyes for you (and a rod for bone donation). Since the body is stitched up and clothed, no one can see any difference.

Is organ donation compatible with the teachings of your religion? The common consensus is yes, organ donation is praiseworthy in most religions. For Muslims, they can refer to a series of fatwas by the National Fatwa Council which state that organ donation is permissible in Islam.

Having said that, I think it is worth checking with a cleric or religious scholar whom you respect because it is after all a big and personal decision.

Bear in mind that organ donation needs to be done immediately after you are freed from the material world. Since we never know how much time we have left, it is best to take action while we can.

Recently I watched a movie called SPL 2, starring Tony Jaa, Wu Jing, and Louis Koo. The fighting scenes were gripping, as expected, but what fascinated me was the surprising depth of its plot: the illegal trade of organ trafficking. It really bothered me because I am a proponent of organ donation. The lack of supply is so acute that people resort to coercive means to meet the demand.

No one should have to suffer waiting for an organ for so long, and no one should be forced to give away his/her organs due to economic needs. An overwhelming majority of us can decide to give away our organs, willingly when we no longer need them.

Our organs will be eaten by worms or burnt to ashes anyway. Why don’t we give them to others whose lives could be dramatically improved by our actions? They are able to live again, to have a shot at life as we know it.

Philosophically speaking, any utilitarian worth his/her salt should pledge to be an organ donor. That’s my fatwa for my fellow utilitarians. I hope there will be fatwas from other schools of philosophy or/and religions to encourage their followers to do the same.

I know of no single instant act that is more effective and efficient to increase the quality of other people’s lives than organ donation. We can bark about all the world's problems on social media, but things won't change for the better unless we take action with the intention to help.

Not everyone can change the world, but any healthy person can change another person’s world. When you are ready to pledge as an organ donor, visit Derma Organ or ask for more information at your nearest government hospital. I thank you on behalf of those who will doubtlessly benefit from your noble deed. – July 11, 2015.

* This is the personal opinion of the writer or publication and does not necessarily represent the views of The Malaysian Insider.