Tuesday, October 30, 2007
We can take them with us but what good do they do us?
My friend and fellow traveler, Joel Solomon is well-known in the social entrepreneurial world.
Joel has been a supporter (in all sense of the word) of many social entrepreneurs, especially in Canada and extra-especially in BC.
Joel has been in search of a kidney for quite a while and a dear friend of his, Shivon Robinsong (also a tremendous force) has agreed to donate one of her kidneys in what can only be described as the most generous act of friendship I've ever known.
Joel recently wrote an email to friends and colleaguesabout the challenges of organ donation
To Colleagues and Friends
The following is an excerpt from that letter:
"The point of this letter is to emphasize both the general and specific importance of all of us making the effort to sign up so that our organs may be used after our death, by others for whom they can be the gift of life. And for the extra courageous and hearty, there are organ and bodily donations that can happen while we are alive. Many people wait on lists desperately hoping for this miracle, and any of us may find ourselves or a close loved one in need at some point in ourlives...
...The sad fact is that a small fraction of the population has signed up to make such donations possible. At least by the laws in BC, without that few moments of paperwork, our body parts will simply go to the grave or crematorium.
Please go to the web site link that follows and sign up ASAP. If you live in another jurisdiction, take a few minutes and find out how you can do the same.
Consider forwarding this email to your friends, your facebook site, your network, post on your blog, or however you prefer. Let's create a wave of donors."
As the title of this blog entry says, we can take our organs with us, but what good do they do for us in the ground?
Joel has been a supporter (in all sense of the word) of many social entrepreneurs, especially in Canada and extra-especially in BC.
Joel has been in search of a kidney for quite a while and a dear friend of his, Shivon Robinsong (also a tremendous force) has agreed to donate one of her kidneys in what can only be described as the most generous act of friendship I've ever known.
Joel recently wrote an email to friends and colleaguesabout the challenges of organ donation
To Colleagues and Friends
The following is an excerpt from that letter:
"The point of this letter is to emphasize both the general and specific importance of all of us making the effort to sign up so that our organs may be used after our death, by others for whom they can be the gift of life. And for the extra courageous and hearty, there are organ and bodily donations that can happen while we are alive. Many people wait on lists desperately hoping for this miracle, and any of us may find ourselves or a close loved one in need at some point in ourlives...
...The sad fact is that a small fraction of the population has signed up to make such donations possible. At least by the laws in BC, without that few moments of paperwork, our body parts will simply go to the grave or crematorium.
Please go to the web site link that follows and sign up ASAP. If you live in another jurisdiction, take a few minutes and find out how you can do the same.
Consider forwarding this email to your friends, your facebook site, your network, post on your blog, or however you prefer. Let's create a wave of donors."
As the title of this blog entry says, we can take our organs with us, but what good do they do for us in the ground?
Saturday, June 02, 2007
The art of Bullshit
Last week, while at Hollyhock, I was promoting the need for bullshit within the non-profit community. That statement is immediately controversial and that's my point. Too often, the starting place in change-agent conversation is centered around "this is what I believe and this is why." A bullshiter has to start the conversation figuring out what YOU believe before (s)he can learn how to sell you whatever (s)he is selling. And I specifically use the word bullshit because what I suggest is stepping a bit further outside your comfort-zone about what you will and won't do for your cause.
Take for example, the most tasteless piece of news this week. That a Dutch reality TV show was airing where a dying woman would award her kidney to a contestant in need of a transplant. It has now been revealed as a hoax designed to raise awareness around the fact that "200 people die annually in the Netherlands while waiting for a kidney, and the average waiting time is more than four years. Under Dutch rules, donors must be friends, or preferably, family of the recipient."
This is perhaps the extreme example. This hoax got worldwide attention and created a global conversation (if only for one week) on the issues facing those in need of organ transplants. At the same time, it also created a conversation around our standards for reality television in a very post-modern way.
I'm headed to the airport now for my flight back to Vancouver.
Take for example, the most tasteless piece of news this week. That a Dutch reality TV show was airing where a dying woman would award her kidney to a contestant in need of a transplant. It has now been revealed as a hoax designed to raise awareness around the fact that "200 people die annually in the Netherlands while waiting for a kidney, and the average waiting time is more than four years. Under Dutch rules, donors must be friends, or preferably, family of the recipient."
This is perhaps the extreme example. This hoax got worldwide attention and created a global conversation (if only for one week) on the issues facing those in need of organ transplants. At the same time, it also created a conversation around our standards for reality television in a very post-modern way.
I'm headed to the airport now for my flight back to Vancouver.
Labels: big donor show, donation, kidney, media, organ, transplant
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