An interesting point about the Sharon illness that has been overlooked by much of the blogging community is Sharon’s recent registration as an organ donor.Haaretz reports:
“Prime Minister Ariel Sharon carries an organ donor card supplied by the Israel Transplant Center and the Adi Association, and volunteered to have his organs donated after his death.
Sharon signed the organ donor card last May, during a project in the Knesset intended to encourage MKs to donate their organs. The plan was to have politicians serve as role models in the hope that their lead would sway the Israeli public, only a small percentage of whom carry donor cards. Out of the 120 MKs, 90 agreed to donate their organs.”
Whether or not you agree with his politics, I think Sharon and these other 90 members of the Israeli parliament, should serve as an example to us in reminding us of the value of pikuach nefesh.
Rabbi Shraga Simmons of aish.com writes that “Organ donation is permitted in the case when an organ is needed for a specific, immediate transplant. In such a case, it is a great mitzvah for a Jew to donate organs to save another person's life.”
The article continues to discuss Sharon’s motives for being registered
"Sharon did the whole thing with a smile, not with a lot of ideology," recalled one MK. "He said, `I don't know if they'll still want my organs at my age.'"
Indeed, Sharon had a point: There is a slim chance that any of the 78-year-old's organs will be in a good enough state to transplant. Sharon's heart and corneas will certainly not be taken. The only possibility is that doctors will consider harvesting Sharon's kidneys.
Does this inspire you to become an organ donor?
4 comments:
Those interested in organ donation in Australia can register at:
www.hic.gov.au
I have often pondered the halchaic implications of carrying an organ donor card, thanks for the reminder.
Yes...the fact that 90(how 'bout 'em Arab M.K.s!?) M.K.s signed an organ donation card definitely inspires me to follow in their footsteps. It would be interesting to hear which M.K.s these were(that has to do with Tovya's comment:)
I'd be interested in reading a follow-up commentary article on this subject.
Be'tikva, Eitan.
My Heart Transplant
My blog will take you through my personal experience of having a heart transplant. It will show the importance of organ donation. It will give guidance in case you or a loved one have to go through the transplant experience.
If the averages held, on the day I received my new heart 18 other people died somewhere in the U.S. because there wasn't a heart, kidney, liver or other organ available to save them. That makes me a very lucky guy.
I now have a chance to see my first two grandchildren this year. Both my daughter and my daughter-in-law are pregnant. Even more importantly my father, who has inoperable pancreatic cancer, has a chance to see his first two great granchildren before he dies.
What do you do when you have been blessed with a second chance in life? That's an individual decision for everyone. I decided to organize CODA. The aim is to provide financial help to the less fortunate for the cost of prescription drugs and medical costs. It also awards scholarships to young organ recipients to help them with school costs. It is a 501 (c)(3) charity so financial contributions are deductible according to state and federal law.
Organ recipients have to take anti-rejection drugs for the rest of their life. If they don't, they will die. Many people cannot afford the costs involved in a transplant. Through CODA I'm trying to help. You can visit our website at www.codacharity.org.
Don't be intimidated by the "Make a Donation" button. It's not asking for you to donate an organ. It merely takes you to "Paypal" if you'd like to make a secure tax-deductible charitable contribution via the Internet. Thanks and I hope you enjoy reading about my personal experience.
Any day is a great day for a patient to receive a transplant, but to receive my heart on Valentine's Day, 2004 is very special to me and my family.
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