Powerful 'Hear My Last Wish' campaign rethinks the organ donation process

‘Hear My Last Wish’ is a digital service that allows potential organ donors to express their wishes when they’re no longer here, using sound to bridge the gap between life and death.

 

Developed by Publicis Groupe Taiwan in partnership with the Taiwan Organ Sharing Registry and Patient Autonomy Promotion Centre, and the Taiwan Ministry of Health and Welfare, it aims to rethink the entire organ donation process.

 

Approval from a relative to donate organs is still legally necessary in many countries if the donor has passed away, and this approval must be given within a critical 36-hour window. However, overcome with grief, many families refuse. Only 1,000 transplants occurred in Taiwan between 2020 and 2022, despite the fact that over 10,000 persons are now on the waiting list for organ donations. Family members deny 99% of potential organ donors, exacerbating the problem due to a cultural notion that bodies should be maintained intact after death.

 

'Hear My Last Wish' is designed to address the issue. Potential donors can record their wishes which can then be played to relatives after their passing, effectively using sound to bridge the gap between life and death. Each audio recording or ‘voiceprint’ is annotated and securely stored by Taiwan’s National Health Insurance Database. It can then be used to facilitate communication with family members in the crucial window when consent is needed.

 

 

“These very personal voiceprints resolve the biggest challenge facing organ donation in Taiwan: family consent. ‘Hear My Last Wish’ is designed to help families to make an incredibly difficult decision and feel positive about giving consent. It uses creativity with respect to cultural sensitivity to transform an established system and encourage behavior change,” says Kevin Yang, CEO and chief creative officer at Leo Burnett Taiwan.

 

“Younger generations in Taiwan are often hesitant to disclose their support for organ donation due to traditional taboos. Even if they sign consent forms, they don’t tell their families for fear of unnecessary conflict. Many opportunities are lost when their decisions are vetoed, making ‘Hear My Last Wish’ a powerful solution,” says the director-general from Taiwan's Department of Medical Affairs.

 

To launch the initiative, Publicis Taiwan created a short film starring renowned Taiwanese actor Liang Hsiu-Shen, who poignantly captures the emotional journey of a donor's family. 

 

 

Significant progress has already been made, ‘Hear My Last Wish’ was incorporated into the Taiwan Ministry of Health and Welfare’s official organ donation regulations in June 2023 after being initiated by Leo Burnett Taiwan. By December 2023, over 3,500 organ donation voiceprints were recorded. Taiwan reported over 1,000 successful cases in 2023—its highest success rate in 10 years and even historically, up 33%+ year-on-year.

 

Furthermore, ‘Hear My Last Wish’ has now been implemented at all major Taiwanese hospitals that carry out organ donations. Every official donor consent form includes a QR code linking to the Organ Donation Voiceprint site, where donors can record their wishes at any time, stored for the future.

 

Campaign's take: 'Hear My Last Wish' has the potential to revolutionise the organ donation process and should be commended. It addresses a lesser-known but critical issue, and the film starring Liasng Hsiu-Shen powerfully illustrates the emotional journey that donor families often have to navigate. It's more than just a campaign or initiative, it could mean the difference between life or death for those waiting for organ donations. Powerful work that is already making a real world difference.