Lesson 3: The gift of life – organ and tissue donation

Preparation

Context

This is the final lesson in a sequence of three lessons to raise students’ awareness of organ and tissue donation and to encourage the development of personal skills.

This lesson should be taught after lessons 1 and 2 and covers the deaths of two young people and different religious perspectives on organ and tissue donation, so it is important to be sensitive and aware of specific student’s circumstances and beliefs.

Lesson outcomes

To be able to describe what it might be like for a donor family To be able to explain why organ and tissue donation is important To be able to discuss organ and tissue donation from the perspective of

different religions.

Links to the National Curriculum

Lesson 3 covers the following core themes within the Key Stage 3 and 4 PSHE curriculum (England only):

Key Stage 3: Core Theme 2: Relationships

Students will develop communication skills of active listening and assertiveness by listening to different opinions and expressing their own thoughts and feelings about organ and tissue donation. In addition students will learn how to address loss such as bereavement. In this lesson they will explore how two families came to terms with the death of a son. They will understand reasons why these parents chose to donate their loved one’s organs for transplantation.

Key Stage 4: Core Theme 1: Health and wellbeing

Students will learn where and how to obtain health information and advice about organ and tissue donation and understand that NHS Blood and Transplant’s organ donation website — www.organdonation.nhs.uk is a source of information.

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Resources and lesson contents

Lesson 3: PowerPoint slides (to use as a visual aid and/or to print off and hand out)

Lesson 3: Student activities Activity 1:

The story of donor Philip Traher and his family (PDF) Student activity sheets with corresponding questions

Activity 2: A film about Dawn Smith and her son Harry-James Kirkham Student activity sheets with corresponding questions

Activity 3: Group discussion and presentation – exploring different religious

perspectives on organ and tissue donation using Faith Fact Cards Plenary: Looking back on the lesson.

Requirements

Access to the internet to watch the film/download beforehand from the NHS Blood and Transplant website. This can be found here: www.nhsbt.nhs.uk/teaching-resources

A2 sugar paper x6 Whiteboards or post-it notes Pens.

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Preparation

Print out lesson plan 3, the case studies on Philip Traher and Dawn Smith and her son Harry-James Kirkham and the corresponding student activity sheets

Print out the accompanying faith fact cards on pieces of card – each group will be given one of the cards.

We would also recommend reading through the accompanying teacher guidance, FAQs and the more in-depth information documents about organ and tissue donation before the lesson.

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Teaching the lessonIntroductory activity: Setting the scene and preparing the students to discuss a sensitive issue (5 mins)

Explain to the group that in this lesson the students will be learning about organ and tissue donation from the viewpoint of an organ donor’s family

To make students feel comfortable, say that if they feel uncomfortable about answering a question throughout they can “pass”

Using whiteboards or post-it notes, students can note things they have learnt in previous lessons – use lesson 3: PowerPoint slide 3.

Activity 1: The story of Philip Traher

Outcome: To be able to describe what it might feel like to be the donor’s family (10 mins)

Explain to the group that you will be reading a case study about Philip Traher and his parents’ decision to donate their son’s organs.

After this, ask students to write down their responses to some key questions below on the student activity sheets. These questions have also been included on PowerPoint slide 4 so you may want to have these up during this activity.

Questions:

What do you think Philip’s parents were feeling when they heard the news of his accident?

What do you think Philip’s parents would be saying to support each other? What do you think Philip’s parents would be saying to the Specialist Nurse in

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Organ Donation at this difficult time? Are there any words that they used that surprise you?

Also ask students how they would discuss organ and tissue donation with their family (PowerPoint slide 5).

Walk around the room to check students’ responses to the answers.

Activity 2: A film about Dawn Smith and her son Harry-James Kirkham

Outcome: To be able to explain why organ and tissue donation is important (10 mins)

This activity will enable students to consider why some families make the decision to donate a loved one’s organs or tissues. During this activity, students will be watching a short film about Dawn Smith and her son Harry-James Kirkham. Dawn decided to donate her son’s organs after he died in an accident.

Give each student activity sheet 2 with questions about the film Students watch the film and answer the questions After watching the film ask students to discuss and compare the answers with a

partner Ask students to also consider the questions on PowerPoint slide 6:

Compare and discuss answers with a partner. Did you agree or disagree with any of them?

Were there any parts of this story that surprised you? Why do you think Dawn wanted to share her story with you? How do you feel about organ and tissue donation after watching this film?

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Activity 3: Group discussion and presentation – faith fact cards

Outcome: To be able to discuss organ and tissue donation from the perspective of different religions (20 mins)

This activity explores organ and tissue donation from the perspective of different faith groups in the UK, to enable students to confidently discuss the subject in relation to religion.

Although all major religions of the UK support the principles of organ and tissue donation, some people may question whether their faith allows it.

NHS Blood and Transplant works with faith leaders and communities to build trust, raise awareness and discuss how different religions view organ and/or tissue donation and how to improve consent rates. For more information, please consult your religious advisor, order one of the faith leaflets www.nhsbtleaflets.co.uk or visit www.organdonation.nhs.uk/about-donation/organ-donation-and-ethnicity/.

Organ and tissue donation is a personal choice and we encourage anyone who is unsure to get guidance from their religious leader/advisor. Also to discuss their decision with family so they are aware and can support this decision if and when the time comes.

The activity

Divide the class into six groups. Explain that each will be representing a particular faith group. Each group will be asked to prepare a three-minute presentation from the perspective of their faith group to the same question:“I’m thinking about joining the NHS Organ Donor Register but is it alright for me to agree to my organs being donated after my death?”

Each group should be given one Faith Fact Card and using this information they

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can present their ideas on a large piece of sugar paper. These faith facts can be found on lesson 3: activity sheet. Guidance is included on PowerPoint slides 7 and 8

Make it clear that all major religions of the UK support the principles of organ and tissue donation but deciding to donate your organs and tissues is a very personal thing. Only the individual can make that decision.

The student presentations should include answers to these questions:

What is this particular faith group’s perspective on organ and tissue donation? What could faith leaders in this community do to reassure people that organ and

tissue donation is a personal choice? How would you argue for and against organ and tissue donation?

Plenary: Looking back on the lesson

Objective: To summarise what has been learnt (5 mins)

This is the final lesson in the series, so the assessment for learning activity is a series of evaluative questions.

Students can use whiteboards or post-it notes to relay their responses to the questions on slide 10 of the lesson 3: PowerPoint slides.

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