A candle loses nothing, by lighting another candle

Year end is always a time for reflection, a time for us to count our blessings, a time to slow down and enjoy life, to catch up with old friends and a time to share. It was at this time last year, that I recalled back, some of the past events/moments in my life and wondered how or what would I have done, if I had been born in Ethiopia, or Afghanistan, or closer still to home, in a situation where I have illness which requires me to frequent the hospital all the time in life, and worse still, doesn’t have the financial means to do so.  I wouldn’t have the luxury of enjoying a simple good meal of nasi lemak bungkus with teh tarik with a peace of mind, or going for holiday, or spending a wonderful weekend with my families, or chart my career plan, or enjoy my new car/home, etc.

Putting myself in their situation, I wonder, wouldn’t it be called having an angel around, if a person who has kidney failure for example, who needs to go to the public hospital for dialysis frequently and pay for it’s service, suddenly gets his/her kidney replaced with a healthy one. It would have solved a major problem of this patient and his/her family, and enabled him/her to start living a normal live. Imagine, people who are suffering from terminal organ failure which can cause death, if they cannot afford to seek medical treatment.

It is with this in mind that, both hubby and I decided to sign up and pledge our organs for donation, when we came across their promotion booth (organized by the National Transplant Resource Centre) in a shopping complex end last year. I know, death and organ donations are difficult and sensitive issues to think, let alone talk about in our society. And if it’s hard for us now, imagine how it might feel during the death of a loved one. 


I signed up with a clear conscience, thinking only of the legacy of the renewed life that a donor can leave behind, and the ultimate gift of life that I have the power to give to another fellow human in need, when I am no longer around.

Organ donation allows for various organs (kidney, liver, heart, lung, bone, skin and cornea) to be donated, in the event of death, for the purpose of transplantation only. A person can choose to select which part of organ he/she wishes to donate, or he/she can check all the above.

Organ donation may not necessary be a bad thing. For donors, it is  the thought of the renewed life that a donor can bestow on someone else; to recipients, they have their hope and life fulfilled; and to the families of the donors, it is the possible comfort in their loss of their loved one.

As the saying goes, a candle loses nothing, by lighting another candle – Erin Majors


You might be interested to read this - Doctor begins a solo track to promote awareness on organ donation. 


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