Jeanne
Policastro
Gagliardi
Specian:
“Organ donation
is a sign
of
Spiritual as
well as
human
evolution”
Our interviewee
this week is a
member of the
Transplant
Centre of
the
Brazilian city
of Londrina who
talks about the
shortage
of
organs for
transplants
|
In March 2010, I
quoted in my
column “Stories
that teach us”
in The
Immortal
newspaper a
comment by the
great Brazilian
medium and
benefactor
Divaldo Pereira
Franco. Divaldo
said: “One day
Humberto de
Campos dictated
to me an
interview he
made with St
Francis of
Assisi in the
Spirit World. He
asked him
whether St
Francis would
|
embrace poverty
if he returned
to earth
reincarnated.
Francis said he
would not. He
would use the
most modern
resources
available on the
planet to
disseminate the
message of the
Gospel. But he
said he would
not need to own
the resources he
used. He would
encourage
detachment from
material things.
To use them
without owning
them.” |
I made an
analogy with our
physical body,
which does not
last forever.
And I posed the
question: If not
even our body
belongs to us in
this world, why
then are we
reluctant to
donating our
organs once our
physical life
comes to an end.
After all, we
could use them
to save other
lives?
I decided then
to interview
Jeanne
Policastro
Gagliardi
Specian (photo),
married for 28
years and mother
of two children.
She works in an
organisation
dedicated to
collecting
organs and
tissues from
donors. Jeanne
is a Spiritist
linked to the
Spiritist Centre
Hugo Gonçalves,
in the city of
Londrina.
Jeanne, where
were you born,
what is your
academic
background and
where do you
work?
I was born in
Jaboticabal, in
São Paulo state.
I am a trained
nurse, with a
degree. I also
have a post-grad
degree on Public
Health and the
management of
Sexually
Transmitted
Diseases and
Aids in the
Health System. I
have worked for
the Health
Secretary of
Paraná State for
28 years and
began working on
organ donations
nearly eight
years ago.
Do you come from
a Spiritist
family?
My parents were
linked to
Umbanda, an
Afro-Brazilian
religion that is
also linked to
Spirituality. I
met Spiritism
and began
attending
regular meetings
some 25 years
ago. I stopped
attending for a
while, but came
back bringing my
husband with
me.
What are the
main problems
faced in your
work with organ
donations?
I work at the
local Transplant
Centre. The main
challenges we
face are the
lack of
awareness, the
lack of
knowledge and
even will from
some doctors who
work in
Intensive
Therapy Units to
monitor the
process of brain
death (even if
not necessarily
for the ultimate
goal of organ
donation).
Another problem
we face is the
high turnover
among health
workers. Many
leave the
hospital once
they are trained
and made aware.
And there is a
general lack or
awareness
amongst the
general
population.
Do you think
that us,
Spiritists,
should do more
and get engaged
in campaigns to
encourage organ
donation? Why?
Yes, I believe
Spiritists
should get
engaged in such
campaigns. That
would be a way
of showing
solidarity to
those who need
an organ to
survive. As we
know, the body
is just a shell
for our Spirit.
If the organ is
healthy, why not
donate it for
those someone
else who needs
it? That would
show true
detachment from
a Spiritual
perspective.
How should be
that engagement
of Spiritists?
We would need,
firstly, to
clarify and
explain to
Spiritists and
non-Spiritists
what brain death
really is. And
we should
organise and
promote regular
debates focusing
on the Spiritist
approach to this
issue.
How do you think
the family of
someone who has
just been
informed that
their loved ones
have passed away
or have brain
death be
approached?
The recommended
procedure is to
keep the
families
informed at
every step of
the process,
making it easier
to approach the
family once
doctors conclude
that the patient
is brain dead.
By proceeding
that way, you
establish links
and give several
opportunities to
family members
to donate the
organs of their
loved ones.
How does your
team deal with
those issues?
We need to know
a bit about the
life story of
that person,
including his or
her habits, in
order to find
out whether the
organs can be
donated. Very
often we are
faced with
strong stories
that stay with
us for many
days. And it is
very rewarding
to find out that
those organs
will save the
lives of people
who have been
waiting on the
queue for hours
or days.
Jeanne, I would
like you to
leave us with
your final
thoughts on this
issue.
We go on and on
about the
development of
human beings!
Well, organ
donation is a
sign of
Spiritual as
well as human
development. It
shows that we
have developed
from a human,
material
perspective
because not long
ago we did not
know that
someone’s heart
could continue
to beat in
someone else’s
body, prolonging
his or her life.
It also shows
development from
a Spiritual
perspective
because there’s
a change in
attitude: from
having to being
and donating,
easing the pain
of others and
showing, with
that,
unconditional
love for our
neighbours.
Talk to your
family members
and get them to
make a formal
commitment to
donating their
organs. That way
it will be
easier for them
to make a
decision when
the time comes.