GoodHearts Resources and Reading Room

• Organ and Tissue Donation: An Overview
• Organ and Tissue Donation Card
• FAQ on Organ Donation
• Myths about Organ and Tissue Donation
• Organ and Tissue Donation on the Web

Organ and Tissue Donation: An Overview

Organ and tissue donation saves and improves lives.

Since 1954, with the first successful organ transplantation in humans, organ transplants have given hundreds of thousands of people a chance to live a longer and more productive life. Yet as transplants have become increasingly safer and more effective, the demand for transplants has grown faster than the supply of organs and tissues.

Each organ donation is a choice made by the donor and/or the donor family, so our best hope in closing the gap between demand and supply — and the needless death of people on waiting lists for organs — is in changing attitudes towards and awareness of organ donation.

Since each Canadian is a potential organ recipient as well as a potential donor, all of us have a stake in organ transplantation. As heart recipients, GoodHearts Mentoring Foundation hopes our society moves forward where people see organ donation as a social responsibility so that donating would be accepted as a normal part of dying.

Have you considered donation?

There is a greater chance that you, or a loved one, will need an organ transplant than there is of you becoming an organ donor.

Organ donation in Canada remains static at about 14 donors for every 1,000,000 people. This is less than some other countries such as Spain, Portugal and the United States, which range from 20 to 32 donors for every 1,000,000 people. But there are areas in Canada with higher donation rates and the number of tissue donors is increasing every year.

Please talk to your family about your wishes to be an organ and/or tissue donor.

GoodHearts encourages everyone to sign an organ and/or tissue donor card in the presence of a witness. The back of your Alberta Health Care card is a donor card. Learn more about Donor Cards and download some examples on our Organ and Tissue Donation Card page.

Have you talked about donation?

In the case of brain death, it is the next-of-kin who makes the final decision whether or not to donate your organs and tissues. That is why it is so important to discuss your wishes with them. If they are aware of your decision and are in agreement, they most likely will respect your wishes if faced with this difficult decision.

The decision to become a donor is personal. There is no right or wrong choice. You may change your mind at any time, but remember to tell your family.

You can choose to donate for transplantation or for medical research and education, but not for both. You can choose to donate one particular organ or tissue, or you can choose to donate whatever is suitable.

Donor families say the loss of their loved ones were lessened somewhat when they knew that other people were leading new lives because of their loved ones' gifts of life.

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Organ and Tissue Donation Card

Give the Gift of Life. Become an organ and/or tissue donor. Make your wishes known to your family and loved ones.

If you decide to donate your organs and/or tissues:

Complete a Donor Card and place it in your wallet with your personal identification.
Give a copy of the Donor Card to a family member, spouse/partner and/or friend. Your family, spouse/partner and/or friend must know YOUR wishes and intentions. The question about organ and tissue donation is raised when the family is facing the death of a loved.

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FAQ on Organ Donation

Why should I talk about organ and tissue donation? It makes me feel uncomfortable.
The topic of death makes most of us uncomfortable. Organ and tissue donation offers the donor family one positive option in a very tragic situation — the chance to help others.

What organs and tissues can be donated?
Organs and tissues that can be donated include kidneys, heart, lungs, liver, pancreas, corneas, sclera, and bone. Eye tissue can be donated even if one wears glasses.

Who can be a donor?
ANYONE. The suitability of organs and tissues is determined at the time of death. Age and/or previous medical history may prevent donation of certain organs, but should not stand in the way of a decision to be a donor.

How can I donate?
The most important way of facilitating donation is making your wishes known to your family.

Can I choose what organs/tissues I want to donate?
YES. Simply sign you Alberta Health Care card and inform your family, friends.

Will everything possible be done to save my life?
YES. Everything possible is always done to save a life. Organ donation is considered ONLY once brain death has been determined.

What is brain death?
Brain death is the irreversible cessation of brain function. Two physicians, not directly involved with transplantation, must conduct exhaustive tests and independently certify brain death.

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Myths about Organ and Tissue Donation

Myth: If emergency room doctors know I'm an organ donor, they won't work as hard to save me.
Fact: If you are sick or injured and admitted to the hospital, the No. 1 priority is to save your life. Organ donation can be considered only if you die and after your family has been consulted.

Myth: When waiting for a transplant, my financial or celebrity status is as important as my medical status.
Fact: When you are on the transplant waiting list for a donor organ, what counts is the severity of your illness, time spent waiting, blood type, and other medical information.

Myth: Having “organ donor” noted on my medical record or carrying a donor card is all I have to do to become a donor.
Fact: A signed donor card and an “organ donor” designation are legal documents, but organ and tissue donation is discussed with family members prior to the donation. To ensure that your family understands your wishes, you must tell your family about your wish to donate.

Myth: Only hearts, livers and kidneys can be transplanted.
Fact: Needed organs include the heart, kidneys, pancreas, lungs, liver and intestines. Tissue that can be donated include the eyes, skin, bone, heart valves and tendons.

Myth: My history of medical illness means my organs or tissues are unfit for donation.
Fact: At the time of death, the appropriate medical professionals will review your medical and social histories to determine whether you can be a donor. With recent advances in transplantation, many more people than ever before can be donors. It's best to sign a donor card and advise your family of your wishes.

Myth: I am too old to be a donor.
Fact: People of all ages and medical histories should consider themselves potential donors. Your medical condition at the time of death will determine which organs and tissue can be donated.

Myth: Organ donation disfigures the body and prevents holding an open-casket funeral.
Fact: Donated organs are removed surgically The operation is similar to appendix removal. Donation does not change the appearance of the body for the funeral service.

Myth: My religion prohibits organ donation.
Fact: All major organized religions approve of organ and tissue donation and consider it an act of charity.

Myth: There is real danger of being heavily drugged, then waking to find I have had one kidney (or both) removed for a black market transplant.
Fact: This tale has been widely circulated over the Internet. There is no evidence of such activity ever occurring in Canada. While the tale may sound credible, it has no basis in the reality of organ transplantation. Many people who hear the myth probably dismiss it, but it is possible that some believe it and decide against organ donation out of needless fear.

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Organ and Tissue Donation on the Web

HOPE (Human Organ Procurement & Exchange) Program
Organ and Tissue Donation

Canadian Institute for Health Information
Canadian Organ Replacement Register: CORR e-statistics on donation

Canadian Council for Donation and Transplantation
Donor Programs

Donate Life Coalition on Donation
The Gift of a Lifetime: Organ and Tissue Transplantation in America
www.organtransplants.org

The Kidney Foundation of Canada, Northern Alberta & the Territories Branch
Overview of Organ and Tissue Donation

Canadian Transplant Association
Organ Donation Works

The Kidney Foundation of Canada, Northern Alberta & the Territories Branch
Living Kidney Donation

National Health Service: UK Transplant
Give and Let Live (for children)

Transweb.org: Give Life: The Transplant Journey
www.journey.transweb.org

The James Redford Institute for Transplant Awareness
www.jrifilms.org

Medicare Solutions
All You Need to Know About Being an Organ Donor

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