New lease on life for 5 people, thanks to organ donation

Token of gratitude: Lee (centre) handing over a certificate of appreciation to Dawit and Julius in honour of their son’s organ donation in Miri.

MIRI, Malaysia — Five people have been given a lifeline following the passing of Mark Macallister.

The 20-year-old Miri student was seriously injured after a crash involving his motorcycle and a lorry in March.

He died 10 days after being admitted to Miri Hospital without regaining consciousness.

However, he had earlier pledged his organs for donation.

During a ceremony on Saturday, the Sarawak government and Miri Hospital management paid tribute to his selfless act of donating his heart, kidneys and corneas.

Mark’s father Simon Dawit and mother Lucy Julius were also present during the launch of the Organ Donation Street Campaign here.

Sarawak Assistant Minister for Communications Datuk Lee Kim Shin said Macallister’s generosity had given new hope to people with chronic illnesses.

“His tragic death was not in vain. His presence continues to live on through these five people, who now have a fresh lease on life because of his kindness and generosity as an organ donor.

“We (the state authorities and Miri Hospital) also thank Mark’s parents for giving permission to take the vital organs from Mark after his death.

“Their example serves as an inspiration for us all to also be generous enough to donate our organs,” he said.

According to Miri Hospital director Jack Wong, there were 530 registered organ donors here so far and he hoped the organ donation campaign would rope in more new donors.

He added that donors would only be operated on after they were confirmed to be brain dead and consent had been given by the person’s parents and immediate family members.

Dawit said he and his wife were by their son’s side throughout his coma.

Macallister was the eldest of the couple’s five children.

“We prayed very hard for him. But when he died, we knew that we must fulfil his wish to donate his organs,” Dawit said.

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