The Choice That Saves Lives

Deborah Sherer, spokesperson for the National Transplant Center at the Ministry of Health, writes a personal column ahead of World Organ Donation Day, marked on August 13. She describes the human stories behind transplants, the two families involved in each transplant, and the harsh reality of hundreds of Israelis waiting for an organ transplant. She calls on the public to sign an Adi card and share the decision with family members.

Deborah Sherer, spokesperson for the National Transplant Center at the Ministry of Health, publishes a personal column ahead of World Organ Donation Day, marked on August 13. She describes the experiences she has gained in her role, including conversations with parents who asked to know who received their children's organs, and thank-you letters from transplant recipients. She quotes a phrase repeated by donor families: "We couldn't save the one we loved, but we managed to save others." She notes that in the past year, families of children, young people, adults, and soldiers chose to donate organs in moments of pain, and thanks to them, children returned to school and parents hugged their children again. However, she emphasizes that hundreds of women, men, and children in Israel are waiting for an organ transplant, some connected to dialysis. She calls on the public to sign an Adi card and share the decision with family members, because at the moment of truth, it is easier for the family to honor their loved one's wish if they knew about it in advance. She concludes that organ donation is the most humane and noble act, since an organ cannot be manufactured in a factory or purchased with money.