The noble story of Josette Agius, who decided to leave her body to university research on her death, has touched the hearts of thousands.
When the funeral cortege left the parish church of Santa Venera after her funeral service, it headed not for the cemetery but for the anatomy department of the University of Malta, to which she had donated her body for teaching and research purposes.
This was, as her father rightly described it, his daughter’s last act of altruism. Ms Agius was only 49 years old when she died. She had already resolved to leave her body to the university five years earlier, before undergoing a liver transplant in the United Kingdom. A former teacher who used to work with disabled children, she was determined to continue to help others even after her death so they might benefit medically.
Hers was a ‘noble act’ that many others of us should follow.
The organs in the body – kidneys, heart, liver, lungs, pancreas and the small bowel - can all be transplanted. Eye corneas can also be transplanted. Heart, kidney and eye cornea transplants are carried out in Malta.
At any moment, thousands of people need some form of organ transplant but, unfortunately, only a minority of them receive what they require in time. Many patients die while waiting.
Most of those waiting for an organ transplant need a kidney. Although kidney failure is not life threatening, it brings with it many problems. It affects the quality of life of the patient as well as of those who have to care for them.
Most organs are donated after death and the Transplant Support Group Malta – an excellent organisation that is manned by volunteers – recommends that anybody wishing to be a donor should apply online for an organ donor card or by directly contacting them. The organ donor card must be signed and kept on the person at all times.
The support group stresses the important need for individuals to discuss organ donation with their family because, even if a signed donor card does not exist, the legal next of kin at the time of death can make the decision on their behalf. In the event of death, the next of kin will, in any case, be asked to confirm that the organ donor had not changed his/her mind before death.
The value of organ donation is unquestionable. But, naturally, people often find it difficult to talk about their deaths or they may have qualms about the transplant process.
The Transplant Support Group has attempted to respond to common questions of concern. For example: signing a donor card will not in any way affect the quality of medical care one would receive in hospital. Medical care is unswervingly committed to saving a patient’s life. An individual’s organs can only be considered for donation after being pronounced legally dead.
There are no age limits for donation, however, children under 18 require their parents’ consent.
Importantly, the decision to give a transplant to a patient is made on the basis of overriding medical factors, including blood type, the severity of the illness and other medical criteria, as well as the length of time he or she has been on the waiting list.
Many people have gained great comfort from knowing that the death of a loved one has helped save the life of another person. The donation of an organ is an act of generosity which lasts well after one’s death.