96% of us would accept an organ if we needed one and it was offered. But only 29% of us have joined the organ donation register!
There’s a desperate need for donors. Hundreds of people die per year unnecessarily waiting for an organ that would usefully prolong their lives. Most medical conditions don’t rule you out. Even if you’re older some of your organs can be offered for transplantation.
If you know that registration was made, or if no decision was made and you feel able to consider organ donation, ask your GP to help with the procedures. This needs to be as early as possible.
This is one of the greatest gifts you can give – to give meaningful life to others.
Please encourage others to be donors and let your family know your wishes. Surprise at a moment of grief often swings them to refuse. There is new, proposed legislation to changes in the law from an ‘opt in’ system to an ‘opt out’ system. However, families and relatives can still refuse the donation of you organs. If you are serious about donating your organs, talk to your family so that they can understand your wishes before you die.
Body donation
Even after your death, your body may be useful for research and helping train medical students. Another generous and noble gift to help future generations.
An agreement must already be in place with an individual university or medical school and must have been made by the donor whilst they are still alive. This agreement can only have been made between the institution and the person who has died. The institution with whom the agreement has been made should be contacted as soon as possible after their death.
This needs to be a decision that they made before they died and the document signed by a witness. A body cannot be donated without this person’s direct authority, for example somebody who is an attorney cannot do it for you. Even with this document, it may not always be possible for the institution to accept a body, for a variety of reasons.