Since February of this year, everyone is automatically opted in as organ donors unless they choose otherwise. However, next of kin still have the power to override that decision.
The Human Tissue Bill was passed on February 21, which, for the first time, provides a national legislative framework for organ donation and transplant services.
This means that if you are 18 or older and living in Ireland, you agree to be an organ donor when you die, unless you opt out of organ donation.
However, Dublin director Dermot Malone hopes to open a conversation about the fact organ donation will not go ahead if your next of kin does not agree to donate your organs or cannot be contacted.
The short film challenges the public to discuss the topic with loved ones, as one in three families say no to organ donation because the deceased relative was unclear about their wishes.
Mr Malone wrote and directed the piece, which was produced by his own directing and production company, Banjoman, along with Elk Films.
Niamh Branigan, an actor and producer for Elk Films, was also inspired to tackle the issue, as her father is on the organ donation list. The two friends decided to address this challenge together.
Speak Now is written and directed by Dermot Malone
“It’s a matter of life and death – it sounds melodramatic, but if a family says no, someone could die. If they say yes, they could save a life. It’s that simple, and it’s that big,” Mr Malone said.
“If my wife had said, ‘It’s really important to me that I’m an organ donor’, then it becomes a super easy thing. It’s about having that conversation.
“The next-of-kin thing is like the fine print that nobody talks about. One in three people say no, and that’s a lot of people. Hopefully, we can change that,” he added.
Speak Now wants to encourage a conversation about organ donation, not encourage everyone to become an organ donor if that’s not something they want.
“We’re just trying to get as many eyeballs on it as possible because it’s about saving lives. The more people who know, the more lives we might save,” Mr Malone said.
“You never know, you might not have had that conversation, and it could be misinterpreted, and in that moment, a life could be lost.”
Since the short was released, the directors and producers have received many messages from people who had lost loved ones who decided to opt in to organ donation.
