1,647 people in Ontario are waiting for an organ right now.
Many of them will die before they even come close to the top of the waiting list.
- 295 people are waiting for a Liver
- 46 people are waiting for a Heart
- 1189 people are waiting for a Kidney
- 53 people are waiting for a Lung
- 1 person is waiting for a Heart and Lung
- 19 people are waiting for a Pancreas
- 4 people are waiting for a Small Bowel
- 40 people are waiting for a Kidney and a Pancreas
It really puts things in perspective, doesn’t it?
There is a campaign going on right now by the Trillium Gift Of Life Network in universities around Ontario encouraging young adults to sign their donor cards.
Why Donate?
- Everyone is a potential organ and tissue donor, regardless of their age. To date, the oldest Canadian organ donor was over 90 years of age while the oldest tissue donor was 102 years old.
- Ultimately the ability to become an organ and tissue donor depends on several factors including the health of the organs and tissue at the time of death.
- Recovery of organs and tissue is carried out with respect and dignity. It does not interfere with funeral practices and no one will know about your gift of life unless your family tells them.
- Organs and tissue that can be donated after death include the heart, liver, kidneys, pancreas, lungs, small bowel, stomach, corneas, heart valves, bone and skin.
- Studies show that donating the organs and tissue of a loved one who has died can provide immediate comfort and long-lasting consolation to family members in their grieving.
- There is also the possibility of making a living donation of a kidney or liver.
After watching this news segment, it hit me:
I had not signed my donor consent form.
I will admit, my reason was not a great one.
I was simply afraid to do it.
Plain and simple.
But after I read the statistics, I knew I had to put my fears aside.
I can only imagine how horrible of a feeling it is to be on a wait list and come to the realization that you are not going to have a transplant in time.
Or being the family member of a loved one who is waiting for an organ.
I went to the Trillium website, downloaded the form, filled it out, and walked it to the mailbox.
When I die, I would hope that something good could come out of it and one (or many) of my organs could potentially save another’s life or go towards research and education.
Why don’t they have an online form?
As I mentioned, you need to download the form, print it, and snail mail it in. I think that they would be much more successful with getting people to fill it out, if they provided an online submission form. I can see many people ‘not bothering’ to do it because you have to mail the form in. We are such a technology driven society that it really makes sense to have an online form. It could mean the difference of an extra 1,000 people filling it out, you never know! Just my two cents.
Deciding to become an organ donor is a very personal decision and not one to be taken lightly. I am not here to tell you to fill out a consent form. I am here to help spread the word of this campaign and provide you with the resources to make an educated decision of your own.
I think this is such an important topic that doesn’t get enough attention in the media.
For more information visit:
US Donor information: http://www.organdonor.gov/
UK Donor information: Click here
Canadian Info: http://organdonations.ca/
Every man dies. Not every man lives. ~Tim Robbins
This is purely a curiousity question: what were you afraid of?
I’m not really sure what it was from. Probably the unknown really.
Thanks. I really was just curious.
I’ve never actually thought about NOT signing the card. My mum just kind of told me that it is what you do, so it is what I’ve always done. I’m going to be coming back to read the comments- hopefully people on both sides of the spectrum will comment :)
Good for you Ange! I know what you mean…being unsure and all.
Good for you girl- the back of my health card says I am donor. It is something I am really proud of…
What a wonderful post. You are so right, and I’ve always been afraid of it, too. There always used to be the rumor that if you were in a car accident and barely surviving, they would let you die if they saw that ‘organ doner’ was on your card. How ridiculous. Go you! :)
Angie,
You should not feel any guilt or shame for feeling hesitant about this. It’s completely justified to have to think this decision over and even if you would have decided not to donate, that it totally okay too!
Good for you for not taking this lightly. It’s definitely a serious issue and you totally proved that matters of life and death are nothing to brush aside without putting your heart into it.
Thank you for posting this, My sister had a liver transplant at the age of 5, after being on the waiting list for 4 years. Our whole family are truly thankful beyond words for the gift that she has been given, and although sometimes as a teenager she struggles (mostly with the amount of meds she has to take) She realizes how blessed she is.
Thank you Thank you Thank you… what a remarkable post. My sister had a heart transplant two years ago after a decade long illness. My family is beyond thankful for her chance a healthier life (though still quite challenging and filled with many meds!). Your words help bring such important recognition to something we’re scared to talk about. Thank you from the bottom of my heart for sharing your thoughts and fears!
Besides any sort of religious issues, I never understood why someone would NOT be an organ donor. I mean, you’re DEAD!!!! You have no use for your kidneys, heart, corneas, etc…You’re D-E-A-D!! haha!!
Jennifer and Molly – thank you for both sharing your stories…they brought tears to my eyes. I’m happy that both of your sister’s were lucky enough to receive a transplant!
I 100% agree with being an organ donor. I’ll be dead! Why do I need my organs?! I’d love to help someone else, even in the wake of my own death.
I also think it would be an amazing feeling for the surviving family to know that their loved one went on to help another.
Absolutely! Not that anything cures the pain of losing a loved one, but I imagine this might at least ease it..
Ohhh is there an actual card now?? I have the cardboard card that I got with my health card renewal… but it;s kinda chintzy. Either way I have 2 signed by each of my parents and they know the deal: take whatever you need. :)
Apparently it’s against Jewish religion to be an organ donor, but that doesn’t matter to me. To me, another person’s life is way more important than what some rabbis decided centuries ago. I’ve been an organ donor for as long as I can remember, and I have no plans to change that. I have some distant family that has dealt with organ donation, and it is truly a blessing and a gift.
Yeah three cheers for organ donation!!!! It’s really awesome that you are so honest with us! Thanks
I did a story a few years ago on Donate Life – it’s the organ donor program in California. Go to http://www.donatelifecalifornia.org/ if you’re in California!
I just renewed my license and my organ donor status!
WTG!!! I’ve had my card signed since i got my license at age 16, and now i’m going to have to do it again when i change my name!
I’ve always been an organ donor and always think that if I died, I would hope my vegan heart goes to help someone who needs it, that my kidneys go to help someone who could use some help, and so on. I only hope that in that family’s time of hardship that my organ gift could help them out. :)
I signed mine too! What a fabulous post Ange!
Too often we get caught up in rumors and don’t do something that could save a lot of people. Yes, death is terrifying, especially the thought of our own and leaving those we love behind. What we need to remember is that if each of us could save 5 people in death so that 5 other families don’t have to go through that pain.
Love love love.
I mean… “then 5 other families won’t have to go through that pain”
Wonderful! I definitely think this is important.