Why organ and tissue donation matters
One organ can mean the difference between life and death for someone on the waitlist, and donated tissue can help people overcome physical limitations, improve their quality of life, regain independence, and can be life-saving for burn survivors.
Donation and transplantation have changed thousands of lives – but there is still an average of 1,400 people on the organ waitlist in Ontario. Every three days, one of them will die waiting, while thousands more suffer awaiting desperately needed tissue transplants.
Did you know?
- Age alone does not disqualify someone from becoming a donor.
- Medical history does not impact your ability to register.
- People from every major religion have donated, and many religions support donation or respect an individual’s choice.
- Organ and tissue donation does not impact funeral plans. An open casket funeral is possible.
Why it’s important to share your wishes with your family
It may feel awkward or uncomfortable to talk about death, but these conversations can ensure your wishes are honoured.
When a person has both registered their consent and discussed their decision with their families, their loved ones can confidently move forward in fulfilling those wishes without doubt or uncertainty if the individual is unable to communicate their own wishes at end-of-life. Families have reported that if they did not know their loved ones wish to donate, learning their loved one had registered to be a donor provides relief and comfort.
Organ donations have saved the lives of people like:
Andrea
It started with some weird symptoms. Trouble with her peripheral vision. Trouble opening small packages. A shooting pain down her left side. Andrea knew there was something going on.
Mohan
As a young student, Mohan’s vision became blurred. With one diagnosis, he had no idea what his future would look like—or what he’d be able to see.
Start a registration drive and spread the word.
Help spread the word about the importance of registering consent for organ and tissue donation. Set up a registration drive page to share with your friends, family, colleagues, and network, and encourage registration by letting them know why organ and tissue donation is important to you.
