RIYADH — The newly appointed Crown Prince is well-known to Saudis because of his countless humanitarian acts. Prince Salman is a name that represents helping those in need, supporting charitable organizations, and advocating the rights of patients. Prince Salman's name is behind more than half a dozen humanitarian organizations in the Kingdom. In fact, funding, planning, and supporting organizations that will relieve the plight of sick patients and families living in poverty has become his life's work and an inseparable part of his personality. He is the founder and president of several philanthropic organizations, including: Prince Salman Center for Disability Research, Prince Fahd Bin Salman Charitable Society for the Care of Kidney Patients, the Saudi Center for Organ Transplantation, Prince Salman Charitable Housing Association, and Prince Salman Center for Kidney Diseases. “His Royal Highness Prince Salman always was and still is the man of the people, a philanthropist, and a man of humanitarian and social reform. Prince Salman is close to the people and strives to bring good to everyone — the wealthy and the destitute, citizens and expatriates. He is not the president of the charitable organizations merely by name and as a figure to appear during ceremonies. Rather, he is an active member and he was present and involved in every step of the decision making and planning process, and he worked hard to help each organization fulfill its mission and perform its duties to the people,” said Dr. Faisal Shaheen, director of the Saudi Center for Organ Transplantation. “Prince Salman has focused much of his time and energy to make the Saudi Center for Organ Transplantation a success, which was the first of its kind in the Kingdom to help save the lives of patients with organ failure, whose only hope of survival was by receiving an organ donation. The center has increased society's awareness of the pressing need in our community for organ donors. The center has launched campaigns to spread the message that donating an organ is considered sadaqa jariya (continual charity because the rewards of saving a life will live on and multiply even after the death of the donor),” added Dr. Shaheen. According to Dr. Shaheen, Prince Salman has been the major impetus behind the Saudi Center for Organ Transplantation. Over the years the center has facilitated more than 8,000 kidney transplant surgeries throughout the Kingdom. In addition, tens of operations for heart, liver and cornea transplantations have been successfully performed. “His Royal Highness Prince Salman was the first to establish an official committee to study and research the cases of Saudi patients traveling abroad to seek organ transplantation. After he learned of the magnitude of physical and emotional hardships and the financial expenses endured by these patients, he dedicated himself to founding the Saudi Center for Organ Transplantation here in the heart of their home country,” said Dr. Shaheen. It is a person's actions that truly reveal his/her character. Prince Salman is also registered as an organ donor and he personally carries the organ donor card, as do his sons. He firmly believes in this noble cause and has made it public knowledge that he is a registered organ donor in hope to encourage thousands of others to do the same. — SG
