DONARE: TO GIVE AS A GIFT is a graduation project created by Steffi Scholten. It consists of a series of illustrations that deal with the theme of organ donation.
With this work, Steffi wants to draw attention to organ donation.
After her own experience, she has discovered that its not talked about enough, even though it is important to do so. By creating the illustrations and this website, she wants to give her audience the opportunity to engage with the subject more often. With the hope that people will also be more conscious in making their choice whether or not to become a donor.
The liver is one of two organs that can be donated while alive, that's what this illustration depicts. The characters have a shared connection because they both have a part of the same liver. The connection between the donor and receiver is an important element in DONARE: TO GIVE AS A GIFT, which is shown through moving lines that meet each other. In addition, the characters are also depicted closely together, to show that connection.
This illustration depicts organ donation after death. Unfortunately, most organs can only be donated upon death.
This illustration shows how many lives one person can save as a donor and the connections that arise from that one person. Just like in the other illustrations, the connection is depicted by lines and the characters who are closely drawn together.
In addition, all the characters together form a human heart, which symbolizes the life that is given.
The other organ that can be donated during life is the kidney. Anyone can donate a kidney if possible and that's what is depicted in this illustration.
Similar to the illustration about the liver, these characters share a part of an organ, the kidney. They also share a connection, which, like the other illustrations, is depicted by the moving lines and the characters that are closely drawn together.
They now share a part of life together.
The idea behind the totality of the illustrations is intended to depict giving and receiving on different levels, such as by death and life. The connection between the characters is important.
When someone gives or receives an organ, a connection is immediately created with a complete stranger.
That aspect is something beautiful within the concept of donating and that's also why its such an important theme in these illustrations.
However, that doesn't mean that's the only meaning behind these illustrations.
DONARE: TO GIVE AS A GIFT can have different meanings for everyone.
How do you see the illustrations and what do you feel about them?
HEART OF
THE PROJECT
''Organ donation has always been something I knew and had heard of, but had never really thought about.
That changed drastically when my brother Tim died in an accident in July 2018. We had to rush to Malta, where it happened. Once we were there, we were told quite quickly that he was brain dead and that the doctors couldn't do anything anymore.
At a moment like that everything stops. You're trying to process what just happened and that your brother is no longer here. But before you know it you're back to reality when the doctors ask the question.
“Is he a donor?”
For me that was a question I didn't know the answer to, but for my parents it was very clear. Despite his young age (he was 19 years old), he had already talked to my parents several times about donation and how he was registered in the donor register. Because he had done this, my parents were able to honor his wish to donate his organs.
This was a wake-up call for me. How did I feel about it? Do I want to be a donor? And if so, do I want to donate everything? I also realized that it was something I needed to discuss with my parents.
In the time after his death, we received messages from four people stating that they had received an organ from Tim. These messages were always quite difficult to read, but it also gave me a good feeling. It let me know that parts of Tim still lived on somewhere in the world. These people have been given a second chance at life because of him, and to hear that is something very beautiful.
These messages were ultimately the breakthrough for me to register as a donor and discuss this with my parents. I hope that one day, when the time comes, I can give people a second chance at life with my organs, just like Tim.
This has also made me realize that more attention should be paid to organ donation, especially among young people. That's why I started making DONARE: TO GIVE AS A GIFT as my graduation project. I want to offer people a moment when they can be aware of organ donation again, because it's so important. Even when you are still young, because unfortunately life is unpredictable. ''
- Steffi Scholten