Let me first state my own position.
I sincerely believe that - whether God-given or not - the human body is of no use to a person once they have died. So, with that premise, I hope that some other person will be able to benefit from parts of my body once it is useless to me. Whether there is a life after death or not, I don't believe the flesh and blood is of any use to me after death so one of the ways I can help my fellow man (or woman) would be to enable them to live.
There is a well-known scheme in Britain. People who feel like me carry a "donor" card stating that they consent to organs being used for transplanting if they should die. Until now that could be reversed by close relatives withdrawing such consent. But as from midnight tonight a new law comes into force stopping the right to veto of next-of-kin.
I can understand the turmoil that some bereaved people must go through. They know it was their loved one's wish to help others but some cannot bring themselves to think that they will be cut up and parts given to others.
Obviously the doctors will have to be sensitive and take into account the wishes of the bereaved. But I believe that the wish of the deceased to help prolong the lives of others should be paramount.
I hope that my family would not oppose the use of parts of my body to save others' lives. In one way - as an agnostic - it would be one of my few ways of still existing. The two other ways would be as memories of my family and of course my two sons who carry my genes on to the next generation.
It is up to all of us who believe that after-death donation is right to talk to our families and convince them that it would be best for both them and the possible recipients.
Very profound Mac . . . nuff said.
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1 comment:
Yes! I totally agree! Sadly not everyone does though, for whatever reason. It would be a last enirely unselfish act. BTW, does altruism really exsist? Just a thought!!
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