The hugely popular survival drama Squid Game presents the unique opportunity for Biomedical Science students to talk about organ donation and transplantation process in the UK.
In the Netflix series there are controversial scenes of organ retrieval that have a sensational viewing impact, but could this damage the work of organ donation and transplantation awareness initiatives in the UK?
Image by Ishwar Artist from Pixabay
During Organ Donation Week (20-26 September) the University of Brighton’s Donor Research Team co-delivered an awareness event with Biomedical Science students. The event offered the opportunity for participants to address some of their misconceptions that surround the topic of organ donation and transplantation. A common myth is ‘Can people buy or sell organs in the UK?’ The answer is simply no. The transplant laws in the UK prohibit the sale of human organs or tissue.
Charlotte Humphris (Lecturer in Nursing and part of the Donor Research Team) said: “Students who attended our event stated that misinformation is a powerful game changer because it can influence someone’s decision when considering registering an informed choice”.
Having years of experience as a Specialist Nurse in Organ Donation, Charlotte went on to say: “The event captured students’ concerns of talking about organ donation because it is a scary topic and this was one of the many reasons they are discouraged from discussing their decision with their family members”.
Another member of the Donor Research Team, Simonne Weeks said: “Organ donation and transplantation is a delicate subject, and it can be difficult to describe how you want your donation choice to be respected by others after you die when you do not have all the facts. It’s even more difficult when you have not had the opportunity to have all your concerns addressed which can help in registering an informed choice on the NHSBT register”.
Media shows like Squid Game are a powerful source to debunk the myths. These negative media portrayals of the organ donation can act as a springboard for organ donation and transplantation discussions amongst young adults.
Building on the success of their recent event the Donor Research Team will be running another event and this time in person to help know the facts, debunk the myths and support students to register an informed choice and how to share their choice with others.
To find out more about the event on December 8th https://bit.ly/TalkAboutDec2021