Humanity is often faced with challenges such as disease, natural disasters, and war that cause us pain and suffering. While it is impossible to evade these harsh realities of human life, we can try to alleviate some of the sufferings through various efforts. The Ypsilanti Lions Club at Eastern Michigan University attempts to do just that even if at a small scale since we believe that even if our efforts positively affect only one person, then we will have given something valuable to humanity. Beginning 16th February 2010 through to the 18th the Ypsilanti Lions club organized the organ donation registry table whose main purpose was to invite people from all walks of life to literally give a piece of themselves to others. Considering the deficit of organs for transplantation in hospitals, this was indeed a very noble gesture.
The event was set to be a part of an ongoing inter- campus challenge within various schools in the area. Its main aim was to provide information about the importance of organ donation and also register the members who were willing to participate in this noble cause. According to Jett, a writer with the Eastern Echo Newspaper, the students at the university were very positive about the whole process and were equally excited at the prospect of making a positive contribution to society on such a monumental issue. An organ donation specialist at the university, Ms. Boldon, devoted much of her time to spreading the word about the exercise. Boldon set up a Facebook page, contacted the radio stations about the event, and sent a lot of emails to ensure that people registered in their hundreds.
The event was attended by some members of the Ypsilanti lions club of Eastern Michigan University, Ann Arbor Lions Club, and several other representatives from the MI eye bank and Gift of life organization throughout the three days. People flocked the table to gather information and at least 84 of them registered online after being satisfied by the information provided.
What really moved me was the fact that people had over the years realized the importance of helping each other without expecting any gains. Volunteering to give someone else a piece of you so that they too can have a chance of living is not only humane but also a virtue that should be implemented by all. In one case, a man who had lost his wife to cancer 10years back came by and registered himself as a donor as if it were not enough he himself was suffering from bladder cancer but instead of self-loathing, he made a choice to help out those who with his organs would live longer. In addition to this, a lady in charge of the Faculty Development Center also came by and registered her name as a donor. These two examples show different people with different social statuses being joined in oneness towards a common goal to save humanity.
The support offered by the university, the gift of life organization, and members of the public were indeed impressive. The international student office, women’s Center, and Lesbian, Gay and Transgender centers at the university had promised their support to this exercise and they fulfilled their obligations. According to Pietroski, the chief executive officer at the Gift of Life organization in Michigan, students are great supporters of organ donation exercises and the campus challenge is by far the most successful event in regards to donations. Since 2004 this challenge has inspired an estimated 22,000 people to sign in and as the years progress new methods are being implemented to ensure that the word reaches as many people as possible within the campus and in the communities around them.
This is one of the initiatives that should be included in all the schools around the world. This is because the value of human life should be protected and maintained and this is one way to ensure that a life is saved and collectively it will be the salvation of humanity as a race.
References
Arbor, A. (2010). Join Mich. Organ Donor Registry; help U-M win Gift of Life Campus Challenge. Web.
Gift of Life. (2010). Organ donation registration.
Jett, C. (2010). Gift of Life encourages organ donation registration. Michigan: Eastern Echo.