Are You Aware of Organ Donation Day and Have You Signed Up for It?

13th August is the Organ Donation Day. Are you aware of it?

With the rising crisis for organ donation, more and more awareness is needed to be spread among the mass. It’s high time we educate ourselves about cadaver organ transplant so that the organs from brain-dead persons can be removed, preserved and used to give a new leash of life to the sufferers. Take charge of your decision.

1. Discuss with family

Once you have read and understood about the issues of organ and tissue donation, it is important to discuss plans/desire to donate organs with family. In an emergency, the family is the first ones to be contacted. It is only after seeking their permission doctors can retrieve organs. If your family is aware of your decision, your wishes will be carried out the way you want.

Where families are not aware and need to be counselled on wishes of their kin who has died, precious time is lost as is the opportunity to donate. When donating organs, time is of the essence- it is essential for organs or tissues to be removed as soon as possible after death, else they become unusable. Imperative that the decision is made with family in the know.

2. Take Action

To donate organs after death, it is important to register your decision by signing up. On registration, you are given a donor card. Remember to carry your donor card at all times.

If you wish to change your decision and withdraw consent, tear the donor card and deregister yourself. Inform your family that you no longer wish to be an organ donor.