Why are all these stars asking you to carry this card?

MANILA, Philippines - How pessimistic to already be thinking of death when all these celebrities are at the prime of their health! And why are so many of them telling you to carry an Organ Donor Card?

“No!” they all emphatically declare. There’s nothing morbid about carrying an Organ Donor Card. It should be seen as a practical, if not a noble, idea. Death is an inevitable reality, and for all these stars, when the light of life dims, they’ll be leaving behind the gift of life.

Dawn Zulueta-Lagdameo, one of the most outspoken advocates of this cause, shares, “When I first told my husband I was thinking of donating my organs when my time on earth is up, it mortified him. We were watching an episode of Oprah and organ donation was the topic. He didn’t want to discuss it. But I was firm on my stand. I told him that the reason I take care of my health is so that I can live a good, long life for our children. But death is a reality, and I hope that he would respect my wishes.”

Joanne Zapanta-Andrada, another committed advocate and governor of the Philippine National Red Cross, narrates, “Even before I got wind of this card, it was already in my plan. In fact, I made a video will stating my wishes, including the donation of my organs upon death.”

She continues, “It’s a no-brainer. In fact, if they are able to invent brain transplant, they can take that, too.” She wittily joked to then National Kidney and Transplant Institute (NKTI) director and now Health Secretary Enrique Ona, who spearheaded this advocacy, “But Doc, just make sure I’m really dead, before you take anything, ha?”

The soft-spoken Dr. Ona laughed, along with doctors from NKTI, including Human Organ Preservation Effort (HOPE) head Dr. Reynaldo Lesaca, Jr., Department of Organ Transplantation chairman Dr. Benito Purugganan Jr., and Department of Adult Nephrology chairperson Dr. Romina Danguilan.

The sense of humor lightened the rather heavy discussion, but it didn’t sidetrack Secretary Ona from expounding on the grave issues at hand, including the alarming number of renal failure cases in the country, over 10,000 to 12,000 of whom are hoping for kidney transplantation. And that’s just for the kidneys.

Just A Tick On The Box

In developed countries, it’s as easy as ticking off the organ donor box at the back of the driver’s license. In the Philippines, we have that, too. However, an integrated system has yet to be developed to have that enforced efficiently.

Meanwhile, the Organ Donor Card is a great substitute. This advocacy, spearheaded by Secretary Ona, under RA 7170, legalizes organ donation in the case of brain-dead patients for cardholders. In the back of the card, the willing donor can even identify which organs he/she is willing to donate: kidneys, eyes, liver, heart, lungs, pancreas, and others. And for the card to be legitimate, two witnesses have to sign before the bearer can tuck it into his wallet. It’s as simple as that. And should the sad ending happen, the card signifies the bearer’s willingness to let someone else live. All it takes is a tick on a box.

It is not easy to accept loss for a grieving family once they find out their loved one is brain-dead (meaning no chance for survival at all). What’s even more difficult is making the decision to donate healthy organs at that very moment when they’re barely even coming to terms with the tragic reality. It sounds great theoretically that the family can be so selfless, but when faced with that situation, it’s the hardest ever choice to make. So, for a cardholder, he just spared the family from that dilemma because he had already made the decision.

So, it was not difficult when my friend Ginggay Joven-dela Merced invited me to support this cause, and actively participate in spreading the word, starting off with a meeting attended by Kidney Foundation president Renato Ermita, vice president Rep. Mike Romero, and the various officers of the foundation.

It was Dr. Ona who introduced Ginggay to this cause, as the astute doctor had become more than just a doctor to the Jovens. He was the one true friend of the family during the years they were battling Roland Joven’s illness together. 

Ginggay’s father, a successful kidney transplant survivor of almost 15 months, passed away last March due to pneumonia. And although she had been an advocate of this cause even before her father’s demise, she championed this advocacy and dedicated time, resources, and effort to make it grow exponentially.

In her Facebook wall, she wrote, “Dr. Ona is a brilliant doctor, a great administrator at NKTI, a purposeful and compassionate public servant, and an inspirational visionary, who brought out the philanthropist in me that I never thought existed.”

But far beyond her support for Dr. Ona, Ginggay says, “It was my personal pact with God. I prayed for Him to give my dad a kidney. And He gave it … on my dad’s birthday. So He did His part, and now, I’m doing mine.”

Superstars Join Organ Cause

Just by its very nature, the cause has won the wholehearted support of many superstars, like Richard and Rep. Lucy Torres-Gomez; Aga and Charlene Muhlach; Dawn Zulueta-Lagdameo; Mikee Cojuangco-Jaworski; broadcast journalist Karen Davila; models-turned-philanthropists Joanne Zapanta-Andrada and Tweetie De Leon-Gonzales; CamSur Governor LRay Villafuerte; fitness fanatics Marc Nelson, Rovilson Fernandez; Tessa Prieto Valdes; Dyan Castillejo, and countless triathletes and marathon runners like Rio dela Cruz, Ani de Leon, and Ige Ramos.

Athletes-turned-showbiz personalities signed in as well, like Matteo Guidicelli, Gaby dela Merced who also influenced co-star Gerald Anderson; and other fitness buff stars like Aubrey Miles and Amazing Race partner Jacq Yu, Carmi Martin, Eula Valdez, Priscilla Meirelles, and John Estrada.

Young as they are, these celebrities were in full support: Carla Abellana, Iya Villania, Bianca King, Denise Laurel, Jay R, Kyla, Kris Lawrence, and majority of Arnold Vegafria’s pool of talents, including Billy Crawford and Nikki Gil whom I was able to personally give an Organ Donation Card to.

Friends in business like Globe Asiatique’s Divine Lee have caught on, along with celebrity friends Victor Basa, Iza Calzado, Karylle, Phem Baranda, Wilma Doesnt, TV chef host Rosebud Benitez, Liz Almoro, Ginger Cornejero, and Cristalle Henares; and countless supermodels and personalities like Rissa Mananquil and beau Paolo Trillo, Ornussa Cadness, Sanya Smith, Robby Mananquil, Valerie delos Santos, Juddah Paolo, Brent Javier and Karen Pamintuan, Diether Ocampo and Rima Ostwani. The list goes on and on. Of course, a lot more from the fashion world support the cause, as well as those from the arts and business sectors.

The advocate list has gotten longer and longer, including Rachel Alejandro, Martin Nievera, Derek Ramsay, Angelica Panganiban, Rowell Santiago, Christian Bautista, Jed Medela, Rachelle Ann Go, Jett Pangan … and before we knew it, without any major campaign, the word was out. More and more wanted to carry the card; and have a stake in this effort.

Truly, celebrities have the biggest hearts for worthy causes!

From the time we started work on the Organ Donor Card awareness drive, we’ve dispensed over half a million cards nationwide. We dream of the day that when one card is given, one life is saved.