As life expectancy has increased, adult illnesses such as diabetes and high blood pressure have increased too. As a result, there are a lot of people who need an organ transplant. Although doctors today have a higher level of surgery skills, we don’t have enough organs to transplant. This is unfortunate and deeply regrettable. Now is the time to arrange measures to activate donating organs. Thus, we conducted a survey of 234 students to know their thoughts about organ donation.

The first question was: Are you willing to donate your organs if you are pronounced brain dead or after death? Unexpectedly, many students (162 of 234 students) said ‘Yes’.

Next, we asked students who said ‘No’, what is the biggest reason for answering ‘No’. 54 of 72 students said they have a concern about disfiguring their body after death. Some students said they don’t know how to donate their organs.

The third question was: Do you think more people should donate their organs? 218 students answered ‘Yes”. This means most students realize the importance of donating organs.

The last question was: what should government and individuals do to activate donating organs? 84 of 234 students answered: changing public attitudes about donating organs is the most important thing. 58 students said government should actively promote and educate about donating organs. 44 students want improved organ donation procedures. They require transparency and fairness. They have concerns that their organs will not be able to be transplanted and will be discarded or used for medical research.

What is remarkable in this survey is that many students are willing to donate their organs for others and realize importance of donating organs. When the government tries to change public attitudes through promoting and educating, more and more people choose to volunteer donating organs. Then Korea can remove the stigma that it is a country that no one donates organs and only technical skills are excellent. You have to remember the saying ‘Getting just one thing done is far more important that all that talk’. Why don’t you join donating organs?

Cho Yu-na  yuna3232@naver.com

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