To Donate or Not To DOnate..

A Guest Post by Rafi G

Toibe Brisal is a 60 year old 7 year Cystic Fibrosis patient. Last week, after a period of serious deterioration in her situation, she was the recipient of a new lung, and her life was saved upon transplant.

During recovery Brisal interviewed with Ynet about the transplant.

Some of what Brisal said in the interview, when asked if she has or would sign an "ADI donor card" to be a potential future organ donor: Until I needed the lung transplant, I didn't even know this organization existed..but I haven't signed on the donor card I I don't think we will sign...In general our rabbonim do not permit organ donation, unless it is the organ of a gentile which is allowed. In my specific case I was allowed to receive the organ because of the danger my life was in...It is difficult for me to answer whether one should or should not donate organs, as it is a halachic question. It does not seem to me that we will sign on ADI cards.

While it seems strange that someone who goes through this - the trauma, the sickness, the deterioration, the kindness of a donor, the transplant - would not immediately want to bestow the same kindness, if possible, and save someone else's life in the same way, that is really a personal decision. I can respect that. Even though some rabbonim support signing on the ADI card as a donor, if this person's rabbi says it cannot be done, I can respect her choosing to act in accordance.

She should probably just keep her mouth shut though and not be so direct in rejecting being a future donor. She comes off as sounding hypocritical and selfish.

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