UCSI Organises Fun Organ Donation Drive

SELANGOR: UCSI University’s Medical Students’ Association recently organised a two-day MAPCU Organ Donation Drive campaign at The Curve Shopping Mall.

The event aimed to encourage the public to sign up as organ donors and reduce the stigma and fear surrounding organ donation.

The opening ceremony of this event was attended by Datin Dr Fadhilah Zowyah Lela Yasmin Binti Mansor, Chief National Clinical Manager of the National Transplant Resource Centre; Mr Wong Gon Kiang on behalf of UCSI Group founder and chairman Dato’ Peter Ng; and Asst Prof Sylvester Lim, Deputy Vice Chancellor of UCSI University’s Student Affairs and Alumni Division.

In her speech, Datin Dr Fadhilah said that events such as this played a crucial role in removing the fear and taboo surrounding the topic of organ donation.

“Usually, people – even medical professionals – feel that it is adding to the grief of a recently bereaved family if they broach the subject of organ donation.”

She clarified that there is nothing worse than losing a loved one, and organ donation could actually provide comfort as the family knows that their loved one did not die in vain.

To attract the public to the campaign, the students also organised free health screenings, a blood donation section and fun activities like colouring competitions, body painting and sand art.

“We deliberately organised these kids-friendly activities, so that when the kids come and participate, we could speak to the parents about organ donation,” said Mr Kelvin Teo, the organising chairperson and second year Doctor of Medicine student.

Carl Rosario and his wife are among those who signed up while their son was having his face painted.

“This is a very noble event – without it I would not have known about organ donation,” he said.

The MAPCU Organ Donation Drive was carried out under the leadership of the Malaysian Association of Private Colleges and Universities (MAPCU) in collaboration with the National Transplant Resource Centre (NTRC) of the Ministry of Health Malaysia.

UCSI University collected a total of 420 organ donation pledgers and the health screening treated 500 members of the public.