CHICAGO, Nov. 12, 2014 /PRNewswire-HISPANIC PR WIRE/ — Chicago is home to a conglomerate of diverse cultures and religions, and although they may not all subscribe to the same doctrine, the majority of them share one objective: the desire to help others and to serve humanity. It is with this purpose that from November 14 to 16, various well-known religions, churches, and temples in Chicago and surrounding areas will join forces to remind their congregations that organ and tissue donation is a remarkable and humanitarian act of compassion and love. Once again, Gift of Hope Organ and Tissue Donor Network will share their mission and voice with religious leaders and dedicate this time to inform and promote the benefits of donation to people of faith.

The idea of donating the organs of a loved one who has passed away is an emotionally difficult subject for some in the Latino community. One prevailing hesitation that many Latinos have about donation is the uncertainty as to whether or not their religion supports it. It is important to underscore that in recent years a majority of religions have taken an open and proactive approach in support of organ and tissue donation.   

“Gift of Hope has experience with families of different religions, and what we have noticed consistently is that even in their most devastating moments, their desire to help others is remarkable,” explained Raiza Mendoza, Manager of Hispanic Affairs for Gift of Hope. Mendoza continues, “It is these compassionate gestures that nurture our mission and reinforce our commitment to provide accurate information and to continue guiding and helping the Hispanic community in a positive way.”

Among the diverse religious doctrines practiced in the United States is Judaism; one of the most ancient religions whose sacred book, the Torah, serves as a guide for making life decisions. Although the Torah was written thousands of years ago, rabbis have adapted their interpretation to modern-day needs and norms. Rabbi Sidney Helbraun of the Beth-El Temple explains, “When we help save one person, we help to save the entire world. We live in a time, in an incredible world, where we can take a piece of ourselves and allow another to continue living. In other words, in this era, the idea of not donating would be considered a dishonor.”

Although we live in a modern and advanced medical and religious era, a large portion of the population is unaware that a vast majority of religions, from the most ancient to the most modern, support organ and tissue donation. One of the independent and more recent religions in human history is the Baha’i faith (info.bahai.org); whose central principles are unity of God, unity of humanity, and religious unity.

“We believe in serving humanity. Why not give our organs to those that may need them?” expressed Christ Vadden, Director of Activities for the Baha’i Temple in Wilmette Illinois, who has a very personal connection to donation. His wife Lori Vadden is currently on the waiting list for a heart transplant. Lori shared, “The doctor told me that if I don’t do something, I only have one year to live. This is why we should think about organ donation when we are healthy and share our decision to be donors with our loved ones. As followers of the Baha’i faith we believe that donation is a great humanitarian service; it is the most invaluable gift we can give to a family in need.”

The idea that we are connected through a brotherhood, service to one another and to life, transcends many religions, including Catholicism. Despite that, some Catholics and other Christians express their belief that the body should remain intact at the time of death. Father John Dearhammer, pastor at the Church of the Holy Spirit in Schamburg points out, “I have never seen mentioned in the word of God that the body should remain whole, and I consider donation to be an extraordinary act of generosity among people.” These words inspired a miracle within his congregation. Johnny Romo received a second chance at life thanks to Maribel Espinoza, who decided to be his living donor and gave him one of her kidneys. “It was the best decision I could have made,” expressed Espinoza. “Maribel was not his wife or family member, but she decided to give Johnny one of her kidneys. Today they are both healthy and happy thanks to that act of human solidarity,” added Father Dearhammer.

One recurring notion throughout the various religions is an ethic based principle, which considers that a living donation should be voluntary. This is supported and required by transplant centers and shared by Gift of Hope. A person must not be forced or obligated to donate, and organs cannot be bought or sold. Buddhism is one of the religions that reiterate ethics throughout their fundamental teachings, which also include generosity and patience. Hillary Jackson of the Buddhist Center in Little Village explores these fundamentals in support of donation, “In the case of donation, one example would be the gift of a living donation; we have two kidneys and if you are healthy one can be donated. This gesture represents a way to fulfill the principle of generosity.” Buddhists consider organ and tissue donation to be a matter of individual conscience, in which compassion plays a fundamental role.

These beliefs, rules, and values share the same objective, which is to love, help, and protect one another. This message is also emphasized in the Islamic community which makes up approximately 25% of the global population. Karen Danielson of the Council of Islamic Organizations of Chicago says, “Although none of the classical texts discuss this, we have specific guidelines; principles that allow us to understand the significance of the sanctity of life. In fact, the Qur’an has a chapter that clearly states that he who saves a human life, saves all of humanity,” concluded Ms. Danielson.  

Hinduism is one of the most ancient religions in the world and has over 900 million followers. Dr. Shashank Atre, who practices Hinduism, explains, “One of our philosophies is that you are the Universe and the Universe is within you; when you help others you help yourself. When your body is done, your soul travels to the creator; the body is only a shell that will return to nature.” This is why the values of the Hindu faith are positively reflected in the concept of organ and tissue donation.

One religion that we know little about is Sikhism, yet it is practiced by 24 million people all over the world. The Sikh temple leaders are known as gurus. They believe in one God that created all, and the way to serve him is through devotion and service to humanity. Shiva Singh Khalsa, a Sikh representative explained, “We believe that after death, the body serves no purpose, so why not ensure that it does?” Khalsa concludes, “It is important to serve others and if you can do it through an honorable gesture such as organ donation, then this is a way in which one can serve.”

Donation is a gift of life that every human being has the power to give. In the same way we are all without exception susceptible to the possibility of one day needing a transplant. The Unity faith practices a spiritual ideology that is based in the notion that one must search for their purpose on earth. Reverend Heidi Alfrey, a representative of one the Unity churches in Chicago had a very personal experience with organ transplantation; her father suffered from lung disease and lived connected to an oxygen tank for years. He was more than 80 years old but wanted to continue living; his doctor suggested a lung transplant. “My father lived two more years without the oxygen tank, he was a happy soul and we are very grateful for the organ donation that gave us those extra years with him. In the Unity church we believe that when life ends, if the organs are viable and can help, this represents a ‘glimmer of hope’ from God and giving that to another person that needs it makes sense,” states Reverend Heidi.

Although none of the sacred books make an explicit reference to donation, many religious leaders express themselves in a positive and favorable manner regarding it. After examining the beliefs that they represent and practice, it becomes clear that these religions share the most basic and beautiful principles: love, charity, and service to humanity. Although differences exist among the different religions, the message is the same when it comes to donation: The desire to show love for humanity can be fulfilled through the decision to be donors. Gift of Hope reminds us this November, that as people of faith we can embrace the opportunity each day to practice the values that our religious leaders impart in us. Let us share our decision to become donors with our families, and allow our hearts to resonate with the conviction to help one another as we celebrate this National Donor Sabbath Month.

About Gift of Hope

Gift of Hope Organ and Tissue Donor Network is a nonprofit organization that coordinates donation of organs and tissues with 180 hospitals in Illinois and northeast Indiana. Since its inception in 1986, Gift of Hope has coordinated donations that have saved the lives of more than 20,000 organ transplant beneficiaries, and bettering the lives of hundreds of thousands of recipients of tissue transplants. For more information: www.giftofhope.org or call: 877-577-3747