If it’s a gift, surely it has I to be given (From Worcester News)

If it’s a gift, surely it has I to be given

8:56am Thursday 16th February 2012 in Fair Point By Alicia Kelly, @aliciakellyWN #worcsnews

SOMETIMES you find yourself in the uncomfortable position of wanting to support an idea – but just not being able to.

I would really like to agree with the idea that people should opt-out of organ donation rather than opt-in.

The idea that consent to use organs after death is presumed for everyone – unless you have actively opted out – was put forward for debate in a report by the British Medical Association this week.

I’d like to support the idea because it is born of good intentions.

It’s true that people whose lives could be saved by transplants are dying because there are not enough donors.

Worse, there is the horrible possibility that some of those who do not opt to donate their organs would have been happy to do so but just never got around to telling anyone their wishes.

That is an unbelievable waste.

Equally, as a journalist I have had the privilege of being invited into some people’s homes to talk about their lost loved ones.

Several times people whose sons and daughters have died too soon have told me of the pride they felt when their organs were donated.

They felt it was the gift of life and that gift, as gifts sometimes do, had meant almost as much to the giver as to the recipient.

But I still can’t support an opt-out system.

There is the argument that some people might have intended to opt out but forgot or didn’t get around to it.

To do so would be a bit pathetic but as someone who was left kicking myself recently when I forgot to pay a parking fine in the allocated two weeks – ensuring I had to pay the full amount – I know it could quite easily happen.

That is not what bothers me though.

My main problem is that this is a gift. And a gift – by definition – must be given. Assuming you can take something because someone doesn’t tell you otherwise is not how I would describe a gift.

And any system based on the principle that the end justifies the means is a dangerous one.

All that said, the simple fact is that many of us are selfish.

We would take an organ if needed but put the issue to the back of our minds because, at the moment, we don’t.

So I agree action should be taken.

But not this.