Why doesn’t society reward those who donate their organs to others?

Why doesn’t society reward those who donate their organs to others?

December 09, 2016
Abdullah Al-Jamili
Abdullah Al-Jamili

Abdullah Al-Jamili

By Abdullah Jamili










A father published on Instagram the photo of his youngest son, aged 14, who suffers from renal failure. The photo showed the boy lying on a bed in a government hospital looking weak because of his medical condition.

A young Saudi man named Jaber Muhammad Al-Ali saw the photo. After some thought, he decided to help the boy and donated one of his kidneys.

When he broke the news to his family and the boy’s family, both families rejected the idea because they were worried about his health, even though the boy’s family was in dire need of a donor. However, Muhammad insisted and finally convinced both families to support him. Luckily, Muhammad’s medical test results showed that he was a positive match for the boy. The transplant surgery was performed and the patient received a new healthy kidney.

Muhammad donated his kidney to a boy he had not known or met before. We should learn from him. We should be proud of him as a young Saudi man who showed that he cares. He has given society a great lesson in altruism.

Muhammad was not the first Saudi to donate his kidney to a patient he did not know or have any family ties with. Turki Nimr Nahel donated his kidney to a boy named Faisal Hulayel Al-Alawi Al-Harbi. Both young donors have shown us what it means to be an altruist and to think about others.

I do not know why the mass media has not given extensive coverage to the stories of these two young men, although such stories show others the meaning and importance of helping one another. Why does the media seem to be focused on covering the stories of social media clowns who bring nothing but disgrace to society? Our young people seem to be lost and such stories of altruism could help them get back on the right track.

We need a government commission that supports such acts of philanthropy and encourages members of the public to help patients who suffer from chronic medical conditions.


December 09, 2016
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