Wednesday, January 11, 2012

How to Save a Life

I’ve had a Facebook account since January 2007 but I didn’t really do much with my account as the social network wasn’t an essential in people’s days then. I posted my first and only status update in March 2009 informing my limited network of friends that I was selling original Ateneo and La Salle jackets by Adidas. I never really understood the concept of sharing the mundane events in one’s life to strangers (before stricter privacy settings). That for me was the use of status updates, to broadcast to everyone updates in your life in the hopes that someone would respond and care. I never considered that it could also be a way to save a life.



Last year around July 2011, Megin Garrett posted on her Facebook page “My husband needs a new kidney.” She and her husband, Dan, have exhausted their family members and well-meaning friends, but there was no possible match. Megin didn’t know what else to do and most likely, she didn’t expect a response from a stranger offering to donate her kidney. Allie Carr responded to the post and got in touch with the couple. Allie and Dan was a match and five months later, Dan has a new kidney courtesy of his and his wife’s new friend. Asked for an explanation for this incredible act of charity, Allie said “I saw it (the post), I knew it was something I had to do.”

My friend says there are two types of people on Facebook: those who are stalkers and those who are kulang sa pansin. I used to agree with this assessment because from my observation, the reason people go online is either to tell people about their lives or to spy on others who freely share such private information. However, in light of this inspiring story, there is apparently a third type of person on Facebook: those who volunteer to donate their kidney (or any vital organ) and save a stranger’s life.

Candice See, Entry #4

Source: Chicago Tribune wesbite

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