Green Man helping others

Helping others is one ethical choice I make, and it makes me happy. Last week I witnessed a 'shunt', a minor carcrash which totalled the older, smaller vehicle. Both drivers were shocked and upset but otherwise uninjured, but I was able to offer support and sympathy, help push the wreck off the road, let one of the drivers use our phone and gave my name as a witness in case of any query about what happened. Seeing the accident didn't make me happy, but it felt good to be there to help afterwards. Later the same day I was in the local supermarket and the person in front of me at the checkout found that her bank card wasn't working and she had no cash to pay for her groceries. I offered to pay her bill, and offered her my business card so she could pay me back when she had sorted out her cash-flow problems. She and the shop staff were amazed that I did this, but I have no reason not to trust people, and showing a bit of love even to people you don't know makes me feel good and makes me think I am contributing to a better world.

There is one bit of help Im offering which I hope I will never be called upon to give, although if I do, I won't be around to feel good about. This is because I carry an organ donor card. If I had been involved in that car crash with my bike, chances are I would have been killed. However my family knows that I would like as much of my body as possible to be reused and recycled before the remains are disposed of. If this should happen, it should give some solace to my grieving family and friends, and give a new lease of life to several other people.

There are thousands of people waiting for transplants and many will die waiting. One of those was involved in the TV company which made the publicity-seeking 'The Big Donor Show' in the Netherlands. This clever media stunt has successfully resulted in more people filling in and carrying donor cards, and informing family members of their wishes if the worst should happen. Join us by registering online. I, like many other commentators, think that the UK should adopt an 'opt-out-of-donation' system rather than the current 'opt-in'. This simple ethical change would soon shorten transplant waiting lists and raise the quality of life for recipients AND grieving loved-ones who may then feel that their personal tragedy wasn't completely in vain.

I should also add that I am registered with th National Blood Service and with the Anthony Nolan Trust. This means that I am able to help people in need with my renewable body tissue whilst I'm alive.