Are You A Donor?

As I have mentioned in an earlier post, Blood Donation is an important and amazing thing. I have been unable to donate blood for the last year since you have to wait a year after visiting Northern China, but I plan to make an appointment by the end of the month. They called me to tell me my wait time was up and I'm nervous but still excited to get back into that chair and give blood again.

But this post is about another type of donation - organ donation. There is such a huge shortage of organs and tissue in Ontario that the need outweighs the availability. More than 1,500 Ontarians are waiting for a life-saving organ transplant and thousands more are waiting for a tissue transplant. Every three days someone dies in Ontario waiting for a life-saving transplant. It is frightening that it could end up being someone I know and love, or that it could even be me one day.

One donor can save up to eight lives through organ donation, and help up to 75 others through tissue donation. You may have signed your donor card but that isn't always enough. (I actually don't even know where mine is, though I know I have signed at least two of them in my lifetime.) The card may not be available when the information is needed, so be sure to discuss your decision to donate with your family and friends. My parents know that I am a full organ donor with no exceptions. Though I'm sure medically a number of my organs will not be viable (eyes for one, and if I keep drinking maybe the liver and kidneys.) They also know that I am open to donating my body to science if that is a more viable option. Also, I know that my parents are organ donors but not comfortable donating to science. Discuss these things with people close to you. Everyone has different preferences and it is important to be clear what they are.

Even beyond the donor card and making your decisions clear to family and friends, the best option is to register the information with Ontario Health. When you register your consent to donate organs and tissue, this information is stored in a Ministry of Health and Long-Term Care database. The ministry will disclose information about your decision to Trillium Gift of Life Network, Ontario's organ and tissue donation agency, for the purpose of ensuring that your decision to donate is known and respected. By registering your consent to donate, you ensure that your decision is recorded and can be made available when it is needed.

REGISTER NOW