Alyah, sister of a human tissue donor

Did you know that human tissue from a single donor can make a difference in the lives of over 20 people? The skin, heart, eye and musculoskeletal tissue that recipients get is an incredible gift. It literally gives them a new lease on life. The generosity of tissue donors means recipients are once again able to run, see and live their lives.

In addition to the obvious upsides for recipients, there is another benefit of tissue donation we don’t talk about as much—how it affects the loved ones of donors. When someone you care about has passed, it always comes too soon. It feels like your life has been upended. Yet so many people have said later on that their loved one’s human tissue donation helped them through their grief.

To know that the very last thing the departed did with their life was to help someone else, to know they were so virtuous and had so much regard for others, it helps the bereaved more easily find meaning in the cycle of life and death. It’s all easier to accept when you can see that your loved one has passed on the gift of life to someone else and can inspire them to donate their own body.

This is what happened with Alyah, who lost her brother when he was just a teenager. The topic of human tissue donation had already been broached with the family, so they were able to make the decision quickly. Because of that, her brother was able to help a number of other people. It was a positive experience for Alyah, and even contributed to her choice of career. She talks about it in this testimonial, where she touches on the importance of formally giving your consent to human tissue donation and speaking about the issue with your loved ones.