Altruistic donor still exists

I’m just a steward of this earthly body and it’s about time I gave it back to the owner (God).”

Thus said seminarian Marcelino Rapayla Jr.,  a kidney donor.

Altruism is helping behavior that is motivated by a selfless concern for the welfare of another person.  Giving alms to the poor is often considered an altruistic action in many cultures and religions.  Not all helping behavior is altruism.  Only selfless helping is considered altruism.

Dr. Alvin Roxas, transplant and vascular surgery of Cebu Transplant Network, said altruism is still alive.

He said  seminarian Rapayla was the living proof that man by nature is good.

Rapayla, of barangay Ibo, Lapu-Lapu City, is a second year philosophy student at the San Carlos Seminary College in Mabolo, Cebu City.  He voluntarily donated one of his kidneys to a priest patient from the Diocese of Tagbilaran, Bohol.

While in the seminary, Rapayla learned that the uncle (a priest) of a fellow seminarian needed a kidney transplant.  It has also been his dream to donate his organs after his death but did not know where to go to make the arrangements so when he heard of the need of a fellow seminarian’s uncle, he quickly volunteered.  “Why should I wait to die for me to help?” he said.

“We have two kidneys, one is to care and the other one is to share.  I can live healthy with one kidney.  I’m just a steward of this earthly body and it’s about time I gave it back to the owner (God),” Rapayla said.

Dr. Vidal Redulla Jr., chairman of the Bioethics Sub-Committee on Organ Donation and Transplantation of Cebu Doctors’ University Hospital, said the sub-committee granted clearance to proceed with the kidney donation of renal transplantation after having found that all the requirements were complied with.

The kidney donation of renal transplantation was successfully done on May 10, 2011, at the CDU hospital.

Rapayla said, “It’s truly a living witness of God’s love between His people. His boldness and courage to do it for the sake of the Gospel as yours does really love your neighbor. This selfless and life time sacrifice is a call and inspiration that everyone could be God’s instrument to let someone experience life.  Be an altruistic donor or a gift of life to one of the 7,000 patients on the renal transplant waiting lists. A number of patients in this list from National Kidney and Transplant Institute continue to grow each year.” /SEMINARIAN MARCELINO RAPAYLA JR.