Great news from my home country. The Dutch finally got their new organ donation law through parliament. They are changing the law to "Everybody is an organ donor, unless you actively decline."

I know this sounds very harsh on a lot of people. I know a lot of people will find it irresponsible and morally wrong. Not me, and I will explain you why. Remember this is just MY opinion, so dont feel offended and feel free to debate on this.

As many of you know or not know, I work in surgery. I see a lot of shit. I see a lot of people dying. I helped remove a lot of organs from brain dead patients helping other people in the past. This feels good, it feels like somebody can still do something for another human being after their passing.

Before this law the original Dutch law was: 'When you turn 18 years old, you will receive a letter from the government with the question if you want to be an organ donor. You had options. Yes/ No / yes, but not this and this organ. You had to send the form back with your choice and your signature. People are lazy, people dont want to think about these kinds of things (because dying is scary), and people dont feel like walking to their mailbox to post something. A lot of potential donors were missed in this way. In the end family members always had the last saying on if organs in the end would be donated or not. And this is a good thing!!! But what is not a good thing, is that a lot of times disaster strikes when you least expect it. Something happens and all of a sudden you are brain dead. And you did not discuss this with your loved ones on what you thoughts are of organ donation. Are you cool with it/ do you find it your moral obligation/ or are you super anti? Hell, a lot of people dont even know from their loved ones if they want to be buried or cremated. So often when disaster strikes: families are in shock and mourning. And they choose not to donate their loved ones organs, because they dont know how their loved ones opinion about this was, because maybe that person was too lazy, or didnt want to talk about it. You just dont know.

That law changed this week!!

So the Dutch law got through parliament that everybody is a potential donor now, unless they fill in that they dont want to be a organ donor. Apart from the fact that this is a fantastic way to open peoples eyes again to debate about the topic, this is also a way to potentially receive more donors. As you all know on yearly basis still a tremendous amount of people die while waiting for organs on the transplant list. Often they would have a match, but that match never signed up for the program. This law is a good reason to wake people up and speak up when they dont want to donate their organs. And this is also okay!!! Lazyness now will automaticly mean you sign up to donate your organs.

Does the family have anything to say in this ?

Yes of course, the family has again any right say up and reject the donation of organs. Same as it was, family has the last saying. And yes, this also means that families still might have that terrible debate when all of a sudden something happens to their loved ones.

So, why is this a good thing then?

To me, and again this is just my opinion, it is good because I find that donating your organs should be a normal thing when you die. Just like you give away your furniture when you dont like the style anymore. You dont just throw them away, you reuse them. I know this sounds very plastic, but maybe that is what working in surgery does with you. You see people more as persons with broken body parts. And those parts are fixable and replaceable.

I dont believe in an afterlife, so I believe organs go to waste when they are not used after passing. I believe the body is an empty shell used by the mind. When the mind is gone, they empty shell is useless. Let me get personal for a second: I lost one of my best friends years ago in an accident, and the idea that he helped 5 young people getting their lives back to me is something so generous. And because he had his donation papers with him when this accident happened, we all knew this was what he wanted. No questions asked, this was a natural thing to do. 5 people got extra time with their families, because my friend was clear on his choice. Isnt this something everybody should consider doing?

Or let me get even more touchier. Is it even fair to receive an organ when you are terminally ill, but not being willing to donate one? Let this sink in for a second, and decide for yourself. Im not judging, Im just asking you to think.

Well the Dutch prove again to be controversial but also revolutionary. I like this new law. Im proud of it. I dont mean to offend anyone with this article.

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