Junge Heden at Schule Schloss Salem
One Friday in March, as part of our Ethics and Religious Education lessons—where we were exploring the themes of death, grief and loss—we had the privilege of welcoming a very special guest: the organisation Junge Helden e.V. (“Young Heroes”) visited us to give a talk on organ donation. Representing the organisation was Marie Beirer, a Salem-Stefansfeld local. The core message of the initiative – “The decision is what counts” – set the tone for the session. The aim was to provide factual information and inspire thoughtful reflection, enabling us to make an informed and personal choice about whether to become an organ donor. One point the speakers emphasised time and again: every position is valid – what matters is having one.
What made the session especially powerful was Marie’s deeply personal account. Her family has faced the challenges of organ transplantation not once, but twice. She shared her story with honesty and strength, offering rare and moving insight into the emotional and practical realities of the experience. Medical background and facts about transplantation were provided by Dr Jürgen Barton, senior consultant at LMU University Hospital in Munich. Another deeply moving moment came from Marius Schaefer, who received a living lung donation from his parents at the age of just eleven. His story underscored the urgency and importance of the topic.
One key issue emerged during the discussion: while most people are in favour of organ donation, very few have actually documented their decision or spoken about it with their families. As a result, many potential donors go unrecognised, and every day lives are lost while waiting for an organ. To address this issue – especially among children – the Junge Helden initiative was founded in 2003. Its approach is creative and youth-focused, using events like parties, school presentations and sports activities, even going so far as to design an organ donation tattoo to spark awareness.
Following a wide range of medical questions to Dr Barton – from the definition of brain death to how organs are allocated – we also explored a number of ethical dilemmas: “How can we create greater transparency?” and “Whose health takes priority – that of the living donor or the transplant recipient?” The session concluded with warm applause – and for many of us, with a new sense of clarity about the importance of forming our own stance on organ donation. Whether you choose to say yes or no is secondary. What matters is that you’ve thought about it.
