SA's need for organs made personal at Organ Donor Tribute Day

“Most of the time, the donors of these precious life-giving gifts are unable to see the difference that they have made in the life that they saved. They cannot hear the words of thanks, uttered with the knowledge that ‘thank you' does not express the gratitude truly felt by the recipient. But their generosity is visible to those still amongst us, and that is what Organ Donor Tribute Day is all about,” says Mande Toubkin, national trauma transplant manager of Netcare.

Once a year a service is held in memory of those, who in their own deaths, have passed on the flame of life. This year, at the Fourways Memorial Park, a tribute was held to those who have given what they no longer need to save others. The cold winter morning was warmed by a touching performance from the OF Sense choir, a four-man a cappella group from Orange Farm who use their resonant voices to spread awareness about organ donation. The group was personally touched when five years ago one of their members became an organ recipient.

The service began with an upbeat introduction from 5fm's Mabale Moloi who was MC for the event. Moloi shared the exciting news of a heart transplant that took place the night before, two kidney transplants, and a liver transplant happening at that very moment. This news set the tone for the rest of the morning in its message that by becoming an organ donor, one person can save several other lives.

Throughout the service, a mixture of organ recipients stood at the podium, relating with emotion their experiences and tearfully expressing their gratitude. One of these was Killian Nair, a well-spoken young man from KZN. In 2008, a grade 11 pupil with 20% vision in his left eye and 40% in his right, Killian was concerned that his physical condition would prevent him from completing his high school education the following year. Despite some uncertainty about finding a donor, Killian underwent a cornea transplant within months of application and was able to continue his education as a normal and capable boy, thanks to the Gauteng Cornea and Eye Bank, and of course the donor.

Killian was introduced to the congregation by one Haroon Moola, also a cornea recipient. Having had a difficult medical past, Haroon could only try to express his deepest gratitude for the gift of organ transplant that in his case preserved his independence. As do most organ recipients, Haroon encourages people to become organ donors, but is concerned that one of the reasons why so many people avoid the issue is because of misconceptions in their faith. Haroon is a Muslim, and during his life has become aware of a general belief that Islam does not condone organ transplants. This is however, not the case.

According to the Islamic faith, violating the human body, whether dead or alive, is forbidden, unless it is in a case of necessity or a matter of life and death. In lieu of this, the Sharia - the legal framework that regulates private and public life based on Islamic principles - allows consensual organ transplant in a medical environment. This is in accordance with the Islamic legal maxim which states that necessities overrule prohibition. On this basis Muslims are allowed to sign up as organ donors and to carry organ donor cards.

Encouragement to donate organs was also given by the second recipient speaker, Dr. De Bruyn who had a bone transplant in her arm in 1988. Dr. de Bruyn spoke passionately about what the bone transplant meant to her; without the donated bone tissue she would have lost her arm. As a dedicated medical doctor she does not think her life would have been the same as she cannot imagine being able to practice with only one arm; all she needed was a few chips of bone.

It is not uncommon to hear the stories of those who have survived terrific ordeals, but it is seldom that we hear from those who have been the saviours. “As organ donation predominantly arises out of the unexpected death of a healthy person, we do not hear the donor's side of the story. But that is the purpose of Tribute Day; the families of donors are afforded the opportunity to express why their loved one wanted to be an organ donor, and recipients who can never meet their donors are met with a face that they can thank,” adds Toubkin.

The first donor family was unfortunately unable to make the service, but a speech from Shepard Tshabalala, brother of a donor, was read on their behalf. Shepard shared his memories of his brother with the congregation, but also made a particular point of explaining the importance of discussing organ donation with one's family. While there can be situations when the family has time to discuss the issue before a loved one's imminent death, it is always advisable to have this conversation ahead of time in a planned manner.

If you know that you want to donate your organs, it is highly advisable to sit down and discuss this with your family as a group so that if an accident should ever befall you, action can be taken quickly. Not only is this more medically beneficial in terms of speed, but also makes it easier on your family so that they are not forced to have such a discussion during such a sad, traumatic time.

During the course of the morning a lot of meaningful points were made from both donor families and recipients, but two wordless actions gave a symbolic gravity to the entire event. We often characterise death as a light that goes out, but the candle lighting ceremony showed that one flame can light many others, just as one person can give life to so many others.

As a tribute to the generosity and lives of the donors, a balloon releasing ceremony took place in a peaceful part of the spiritual Fourways Memorial Park garden, where each member of the congregation released a yellow-golden balloon into the sky.

While organ transplants are fairly common procedures nowadays, it is not physically apparent which people around us have had an organ transplant. The World Transplant Games, which take place every year alternating between summer and winter sports, visibly demonstrate the success of organ transplants to the world and show just how big a difference a new organ or tissue can make in someone's life.

Alice Vosloo, a 25 year-old woman who two years ago underwent a bilateral lung transplant, is competing in the South African team at this year's Games in Australia. Alice was born with cystic fibrosis making it extremely difficult for her to breathe, but she is now a fit young adult, able to represent her country as an athlete.

Despite the many positive attitudes towards organ transplantation, there is a chronic lack of organs available to those in need. In 2002 a total of 1 628 transplants took place, but a drop of more than 150% brought that number down to a shocking 631 organ transplants in 2008. This dramatic decrease does not bode well for the 3 500 people awaiting organ transplants in South Africa.

“The need for organs such as hearts, livers, lungs, kidneys, pancreases and corneas in this country is crucial. There is such a critical shortage. Donating ones organs is potentially the greatest gift a person can give. With the high number of people waiting for an organ or tissue transplant, the Organ Donor Foundation encourages everyone to consider organ donation. By donating ones organs an individual may save the lives of up to eight people,” says Phillipa Douglas, Executive Director of the Organ Donor Foundation.

“The serious shortage of potential donors continues to be of great concern to the Organ Donor Foundation. The tragedy is that the vast majority of transplants today are highly successful and literally give recipients a completely new life, for thousands of sick people, many of whom are very small children, there is no other option and the high number of successes speak for themselves: transplants save lives,” concludes Douglas.