Why the topic of organ donation euthanasia matters....

When you hear the words organ donation euthanasia, you automatically think about shady dealings where people are a commodity dying for their organs.  Well, it's not entirely like that but it does require someone's life ending in order for another (or many others) to live.  I think this topic matters because globally we have a major shortage of donors and organ donation through euthanasia could remedy this.  Unfortunately, the demand far outweighs the supply on organs.  The majority of organ donation usually comes from those individuals that have died from being involved in some type of accident and have suffered from loss of brain function. 

Organ donation euthanasia is a highly contentious subject and it wasn't until my wonderful team member slipped me a link to an article that was so evidently against euthanasia, that I could better understand the other side of the argument.  Smith (2016) says that while good doers like myself believe in "dying with dignity," it's none other than just plain murder.  Many of the statements he said could have persuaded me to change my mind and I totally get what he was getting at but for the record, he didn't...because I believe that organ donation euthanasia is a very real solution to our world's donation problems.  

I totally get that, morally, people take issue with this topic.  Many believe that it's not natural for a person to die before their time, let alone chose to give up what's left of their life in order to help someone else live.  While researching, myself, I came across some cases in which Belgium and the Netherlands had performed euthanasia that made me almost change my opinion because I didn't morally agree with the reasons.  I personally don't think being elderly and losing a partner is a good enough reason to want to kill oneself via euthanasia.  But I digress...

The real issues here are educating people about organ donation as well as creating strict guidelines through sensitive ethical and cultural policies so as to not endanger the vulnerable.  My personal opinion is that everyone is put on the donor register and you have to opt out.  I think this should be the first step in increasing donation numbers.  

Smith, W. (2016). Euthanasia by organ harvesting. First Things. The Institute on Religion and Public Life. 

Summarising the debate

I'm supposed to find two sources that take different points of view on 'the possibility of euthanasia' but it's proving extremely difficult to find literature that is recent other than subjective 'journalism' pieces. I have found many sources that represent the side for euthanasia but very little literature opposing it.  I'm starting to think I'm inept at library surfing as the same type of articles keep coming up regardless of what I put into the search engine.  It's like having a 'man's look', no offence Floyd ;)

So there are a couple of articles that I have been using for my position paper on the side for organ donation euthanasia but the one I have using predominantly is Bollen et., al (2016).  They write about the legal and ethical aspect of organ donation after euthanasia.  It attempts to advocate for those that feel that this is the best decision for themselves, although I am a little sceptical about what conditions are applied when deciding if someone has a legitimate case for euthanasia.  There are several cases that in my opinion are pretty weak for being accepted though I have to remember, I am not their doctor, nor their counsellor; so I need to resign myself to being a witness from afar.  Though I will say that being severely depressed does not sound reason enough to end an otherwise perfectly healthy life.  I believe it is these types of cases that cause major uproar with the anti-euthanasia followers. 

I've yet to find an article that is both recent and definitively anti-euthanasia, which doesn't hold me in good stead for this blog....and possibly not for my position paper either.  

Personally, I stand on the side of assisted suicide and euthanasia.  I think that a person should be given an opportunity to go out the way they want.  I'm not sure whether that's because I've had personal experience of not valuing life at different times of my life but I really do suspect it's more of a 'having control over whatever part of your life you can'.  So many decisions are taken out of our control throughout our lives that this seems a simple solution and it helps out those that could get a second chance at life through your decision.  I know the article written by the Pastor I spoke about last blog, suggests that there are ways around eventual death like palliative care and pain medications but if you actually spoke to many terminal individuals, that is sometimes not enough.  This may seem like a bit of a piss take but I actually admire those that use their faith and believe that a higher power can somehow bring them through it.  I don't share their faith. Seemingly, it would appear I am an atheist, or the very least, agnostic.

I've gone a bit off topic here but essentially what I'm trying to say is...there will always be people for either side.  I'm sure one of my neighbours, my siblings or one of my team members do not share in my belief of organ donation euthanasia.  Maybe we have to agree to disagree?  One thing I know for sure is, I'm not getting a very good grade for this blog as it's missing one side of the argument but I digress.....


Bollen, J., Hoopen, R., Ysebaert, D., van Mook, W. & van Heum, E. (2016). Legal and ethical aspects of organ donation after euthanasia in Belgium and the Netherlands. Journal of Medical Ethics, 42, pp 486-489.

The Literature

I’m supposed to write a description and analysis of my search for information on the topic I chose, which is “The possibility of organ donation euthanasia.”  What Bollen et. al, (2016) wrote about was not the possibility, but the very real practice of organ donation euthanasia.  Forty cases have been undertaken in Belgium and the Netherlands combined.  This is the type of literature I have been researching and will continue to search for to help with this assignment.

To me this seems practically a no-brainer.  People are dying anyway, aren’t they?  They’ve just chosen to go out their way…seems like a win win situation. But alas, this is not as clear cut as it seems. There are ethical dilemmas surrounding this topic, and for good reason.  You can’t have just anyone with treatable conditions decide that they hate their life so much that they want to end it just like that. 

Organ euthanasia is a curly subject and there are many different thoughts on the matter.  I found an article with a religious tone from a Pastor, which I totally bawked at at first because I am an agnostic.  Any reference to ‘God’ people giving an opinion on science issues really seems to gets my goat.  I’m sure I’ve just offended someone here but it’s my blog, and therefore my opinion.  In saying that though, as a scientist I need to be unbiased and look at all material with the same eye so if the religious gentleman says anything remotely feasible (yes, in my professional opinion), I will include it in my information.  Even Einstein said “Science without religion is lame, religion without science is blind”, so who am I to stand in the way of greatness? J

Usually, procrastination sets in and I haul myself to the computer trawling through google scholar, psychinfo and other article databases looking for inspiration.  The menu pops up and you get two lines of information that you have to decide whether it is worth your time to open and see if you can actually access the article. 

I think that this topic has a large scope that intertwines with many other similar and corresponding topics so determining what information I need to include versus what could be touched on but definitely not elaborated on, needs to be focussed on specifically.

Unfortunately, that is the extent of my researching capacity this week as Christmas is a busy time of year and as you can see from the above photo, you need to make time to help those you love celebrate their life milestones.

Bollen, J., Hoopen, R., Ysebaert, D., van Mook, W. & van Heum, E. (2016). Legal and ethical aspects of organ donation after euthanasia in Belgium and the Netherlands. Journal of Medical Ethics, 42, pp 486-489.

Randerson, J (2008). People in Science website. Retrieved from https://www.theguardian.com/science/2008/may/12/peopleinscience.religion on 4 December 2016

All About Me

Usually it isn't about me...I like to blend into the background and watch (or read) from afar. Unfortunately, this paper dictates that I have to do something totally out of my comfort zone and that's work with other people.  It's not that I don't have an opinion or two, we all do but normally I voice it to my husband who tends to be quite black and white logically (I think just to irk the ba-jeebers out of me), and somehow bring my soap box standing to a screaming halt.

I started this BSc in 2009 with one psychology paper which I loved immensely.  I was 37, married with three kids and came from Christchurch, my beloved and now 'munted' hometown.  Little did I know that 7 years later I would still be doing this degree, albeit (hopefully) my last paper towards that degree.  I wanted to study psychology because I wanted to make a difference.  I feel a great empathy toward the oppressed and the broken, the underdogs that no-one wants to know about. I want to make a difference in people's lives and ideally, make the world a better place for my children.  Idealism at its greatest aye?

I've never been a particularly good scholar, I'm not particularly eloquent, nor do I have an extensive vocabulary.  For these reasons, I am scared witless about doing this paper.  I do not want to let anyone down and I will do my utmost not to.  I'm full of good ideas, or maybe it's full of something else... Who knows, I might not get rated as a disaster from my team members but rather a valuable member of the group.

When I have finished this degree, I would like to work with those who have experienced domestic violence. I was witness to it as a child and would like to help lessen the emotional burden these families, particularly the children, experience.  As a similar alternative, I would like to work with suicidal youth in some capacity.  I think our world is letting our children down and there has to be some real person-centred policies put into place so there can be some accountability for youth mental well-being.  

To be perfectly honest, I probably would not have taken this paper had it not been compulsory, and I know that I am likely to gain the skills I should have acquired at the beginning of my degree.  It will definitely bring me out of my comfort zone and push me to learn more about myself and my capabilities.  I am a neither weak nor strong communicator generally but can actively debate if I know my audience and my topic, my husband might use the word - argue but if I know what is expected of me and I am well organised I can usually nut it out okay.

I look forward to working with you, my team members and am grateful we found our team so early in the piece.

Marina :)