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Sep 245 min read

Can Social Media Increase Organ Donation?


Did you know that according to Penn Medicine, just one organ donor has the potential to save up to eight lives? With over 4.89 billion active social media users in January 2023, the impact on organ donation could be truly astounding, even if only a quarter of these users were inspired to be a donor. Organ donation is the process of donating one’s organ to another person who needs it; a prudent act that can help save millions of lives and rekindle hope for people who are suffering from organ failure. With the emergence of online platforms, healthcare organizations are starting to see social media as a potential solution to this prolonged issue.



Yet, there are two sides of the same coin. Although many support using social media to raise awareness on organ donation, some may argue that doing so is solely just a form of slacktivism. They believe that it only creates the illusion of activism without actually doing anything substantial.  While sharing a post or using a hashtag may raise awareness, it does not necessarily translate into any tangible action, such as signing up to be an organ donor.


In general, a major advantage of social media is its rapid and efficient dissemination of information. Social media is a powerful tool for educating individuals from different walks of life about organ donation. Through popular social media platforms such as Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and Tiktok, healthcare organizations can stress the importance of organ donation. In addition, they can highlight the pressing need to recruit potential donors. Thanks to social media algorithms, moreover, content created by organizations can become widespread. Social media algorithms can determine what content is shown to users based on their interests and browsing history. If one is a regular interactor of organ donation content on social media, the algorithm will expose them to more related content, making it easier to spread information about organ donation to those who are interested. Additionally, advertising, partnering with influencers, and creating trending campaigns or hashtags can also reach people who may not typically engage with organ donation content. 


One example of a positive impact of social media is when Facebook introduced an innovative feature that enabled users to share their organ donor status with friends. Reported in a Johns Hopkins Medicine publication, the introduction of this feature resulted in a 21-fold increase in organ donors. By utilizing these  platforms' wide audience, organ donation organizations can urge people to become donors, which could significantly boost the number of organ donations..


Another way social media may guide organ donation is by facilitating communication between organ donors and organ donation organizations. Traditionally, organ donors are usually discovered through word of mouth or personal networks. This method can be quite cumbersome and may not reach a wide enough audience in time. Additionally, relying on donor registrations alone may not be effective in finding suitable donors as not all individuals who are willing to donate may have registered. However, social media platforms nowadays can reach a large and diverse audience quickly and efficiently, potentially connecting organ donors with recipients. According to an article published by the Straits Times, it was discovered that between June 2014 and December 2019, there were seven liver transplants between living donors and people they did not know at the Centre for Organ Transplantation at the National University Hospital in Singapore. 


Through virtual outreach events and educational content, organizations also may be able to connect with individuals who are willing to donate but have not yet registered. Additionally, social media enables immediate communication between donors and recipients or organizations, which greatly expedites the donation process. For instance, an article published by The Guardian in 2021 featured Kenneth Hunter's experience of how he used social media to connect with donors beyond his immediate network of family and friends. Hunter sent a group email to all 2,337 people he had saved as contacts in his inbox, and he found three people willing to donate through the chain email. Through social media and online communication, Hunter found a donor was able to undergo a successful kidney transplant.


Furthermore, social media engages various religions in organ donation. In Singapore, for example, some religions like Buddhism and Islam discourage organ donation as they believe the body should remain intact after death. However, social media platforms can dispel myths and misconceptions by providing a platform for people to share their success stories of organ transplants. One example of such an initiative is the National Donor Sabbath, which utilizes social media to spread awareness and education about organ donation among religious communities. The event's official website provides resources for faith leaders to share with their congregations, such as sample sermons and bulletin inserts, which effectively help break down cultural barriers as religious leaders are often trusted by their communities. This, in turn, increases education and understanding about organ donation, creating a supportive environment for individuals to consider becoming registered donors. Thanks to these efforts, more than 39,000 transplants have been performed, giving renewed life to patients, and more than 66,000 corneas have been donated for sight-restoring transplants. This is a significant achievement in promoting organ donation and overcoming cultural barriers. Thus, it is evident that social media has a powerful impact on lifting cultural barriers through the provision of educational resources and influences.


Nevertheless, some people may still argue that they may not be the best medium to convey detailed information about the donation process such as the medical implications of organ donation, or the legal requirements for becoming a registered donor. In fact, some still believe that in-person education sessions and community outreach programs may be more effective in promoting organ donation.


While it may be true that in-person education sessions and community outreach programs are valuable methods for promoting awareness about organ donation, social media platforms have unique advantages that also make them a powerful tool for education on organ donation. While in-person education sessions can also be effective in educating individuals about organ donation, they may not be as accessible or convenient for everyone. Social media, on the other hand, can be accessed from anywhere at any time with powerful algorithms that can influence more people. Therefore, it is evident that the influence of social media ultimately outweighs the influence of in-person educational sessions.


In conclusion, social media is an efficient tool in promoting and raising awareness for organ donation. Through social media, many people have been able to learn about organ donation, connect with organ donors and recipients, and share their personal experiences of organ donation. To top it all off, social media has also allowed the formation of online communities dedicated to organ donation advocacy, which have helped to lift up cultural barriers on organ donation and encouraged many from diverse religions and backgrounds to participate in the benevolent act of organ donation. As Opal Tometi once said, "Social media is not just a tool for communication, it's a tool for liberation." Social media can empower individuals and communities to challenge and change the status quo, providing a space for voices to be amplified. Social media has saved thousands of lives, and thus, it is crucial to continue using these platforms to spread awareness about the importance of organ donation as well as encourage more individuals to register as organ donors. 


 

Written by Thin Yadanar (Carolyn Yang)


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