The World Health Organisation recognises that the annual number of transplants has increased rapidly, but also admits that there has been a significant increase in the demand for transplants of human cells, tissues and organs, with a consequent shortage of human material, particularly organs[1] . This situation offers hope to many patients on the waiting list who require a transplant as the only life-saving solution, as a transplant is the only method to replace a non-functional organ or tissue in a person. However, the situation also generates great concern for patients, families and health care teams involved. How to stimulate and increase the donation of human material for transplantation? The struggle to achieve an increase in the donation rate is the way forward if we really want to give hope of life to people in need of organ transplantation

However, an increase in the donation rate is not possible without a dynamic donation culture, which is based on respect for natural law and the protection of life. This implies respecting human life from conception to death. Without a culture that respects the right to life and promotes the fundamental values of each person, a true culture of donation cannot exist. For this reason, it can be said that a culture of donation must be born and nurtured by care for the life of every person. There is, of course, a close relationship between the culture of donation and respect for the care of life in general. Success in increasing the rate of donation will depend to a large extent on an anthropological vision respectful of the human person and his or her dignity, a vision already assumed by St. Vincent de Paul in his service to the poorest.

The presence of a “culture of donation” rooted in the Vincentian charism can contribute considerably to a decrease in demand and, as a consequence, to fewer transplants. I come to this conclusion because a well-structured and understood culture of donation allows more organs to be collected for transplantation. The more organs available, the shorter the waiting time for recipients. But what is meant by a culture of donation? “Culture of donation” is an expression that encapsulates concrete knowledge about the nature and practice of donation, aimed at the full development of the ability to donate. In this case, the culture of giving relates to the ability of someone to donate or to make a gift on behalf of another person who accepts it. From this perspective, the culture of giving becomes a way of life, a system of values that favours someone’s willingness to donate what he or she is and what he or she has as a person. The culture of giving is also understood as the ability of a person or a population to learn to donate, to help someone in need. Indeed, in this learning process, the family plays an important role

The culture of donation is a means that can help many people achieve a deep understanding of the donation process. Often, lack of this knowledge prevents people from committing to becoming donors. Such knowledge can also help those who are suspicious of doctors to dispel their doubts about the dignified treatment of the corpse. Being better informed about organ donation is essential to this process, as is a good understanding of the concept of brain death, as it determines the donation process. For these reasons, to promote the culture of donation is to strengthen the education of people about its importance and its true meaning for the human person and for our society, in the search for viable solutions for so many people on the waiting list for organ transplantation.

How does the culture of organ donation manifest itself in the Vincentian charism? While there is no exclusive scientific study on the percentage of Vincentians who believe in organ donation, there are testimonies that highlight that a good number of them, inspired by St. Vincent de Paul, have some knowledge about the importance of organ donation. This suggests that these Vincentians should do more to promote the donation of human organs and tissues for transplantation and rehabilitation. There is also a need to raise the level of Vincentian awareness of the need to increase the participation of the entire Vincentian Family in this process, thus contributing to improving the quality of life of our society in general. The culture of organ donation is based on the universal principles and values proper to the Vincentian charism, such as respect for human dignity, respect for human rights, and the justice that comes from a profound respect for life and transcendence.

Today, there are many non-profit organisations that, through their many educational activities on organ donation, contribute to strengthening the culture of donation around the world. These organisations play a major role in saving lives by educating the world community about the need to be organ and tissue donors for transplantation and motivating the general public to make the decision to register as donors. Of course, these organisations have organised numerous activities in order to consolidate such a culture by educating health personnel on organ and tissue donation issues, as well as other members of the population. The main objective of all these activities has been to create a culture of donation in the world and to encourage donor registration. Faced with such a noble task, couldn’t the Vincentian Family also get involved

Certainly, I believe that the Vincentian Family can collaborate in various ways with organisations in this work of organ recovery through advocacy and education, since there are many sectors that have yet to join in the mobilisation to consolidate or strengthen the culture of donation. The way forward is to educate the population so that they know the truth about organ donation. This education requires, among other things, clarifying existing doubts in the population about organ donation. Myths and misconceptions about organ, eye and tissue donation prevent many people from registering as donors[2] . To overcome these fears and misperceptions, the Vincentian Family can help through mass education campaigns about the truth of organ donation

In these campaigns it is necessary to clearly explain that anyone, regardless of age or medical history, can register as a donor. It is the task of the transplant physician to select who can and who cannot donate their organs. Age is also not a limiting factor for organ donation; what is most important in this case is not age, but the health and quality of the organs at the time of death. It is crucial to explain, furthermore, that most established religions have no objections to organ donation. On the contrary, many religions see this gesture as an act of love and kindness. Another very important fact is to inform that race, income and fame are never taken into account in the distribution of organs. The factors that are always considered are: blood type, waiting time, other relevant medical data, severity of the recipient and geographical location.

I do not doubt that at some point abuse may occur, but there are laws and various legal and medical mechanisms in place to protect the distribution of donated organs. Another important aspect to clarify is to explain to the public that, throughout the donation process, the donor’s body receives careful, respectful and dignified treatment. There are families who resist the process because they believe that the donor’s body cannot be laid to rest in an open casket funeral. Another important factor to consider is the economic factor; it is necessary to inform that the donor’s family does not have any cost, as this is subsidised by the non-profit organisations in charge of the process. It is essential for the population to know that the law prohibits the sale of any organ, and violators can be punished with fines and imprisonment. In summary, knowing the truth about organ donation is definitely an essential point in strengthening the culture of organ donation in the Vincentian Family.

Vincentians, with Vincent de Paul in your heart, be a miracle in someone’s life.

F. Jean Rolex, C.M.

[1] World Health Organization. (2008). Human organ and tissue transplantation.                  Retrieved from http://apps.who.int/iris/bitstream/10665/26197/1/B123_5-sp.pdf?ua=1.

[2] U.S. Health Resources and Services Administration (2020). Myths and facts about organ donation. Retrieved from