At this season of giving, consider donating something more personal than money — something that could save a life. Instead of signing a cheque, sign an organ-donation form.
It’s a gift that probably won’t come due for years, but it will make a bigger difference than almost anything else you could offer.
In 2012, according to the most recent statistics, 256 Canadians died waiting for an organ transplant. Each of those people could have been saved by the generosity of another Canadian, like the 2,124 people who received transplants in that year.
Today, more than 4,600 people in Canada are waiting for transplants. But only about one-third of the people who die and could donate become organ donors.
Although donations are on the increase in B.C., this province is falling behind national rates in two important areas.
First, older people are not signing up in the needed numbers. Second, donation programs are not getting enough organs from people who have irreversible brain damage who are declared dead after their hearts stop.
In B.C., one-third of patients awaiting transplants are over the age of 60, but just 20 per cent of donors are in that demographic. But there is no reason seniors should be shy to sign up. As long as your organs are healthy, there is no age limit for donations.
Kathleen Morris, director of health-system analysis at the Canadian Institute for Health Information, says many seniors think they are too old to be donors, but “if it’s the right decision for you, don’t worry about your age.”
In fact, kidneys, which are the most-needed organs for transplant, are often healthy, even in old age.
The second area is one that comes with significant pain and grief for families. In the past, organ donors were usually people whose hearts continued beating after they were declared brain-dead.
However, B.C. and four other provinces now have programs to get more donations from people who die of heart failure, usually those who are on life support and have no hope of recovery. After medical staff turn off life support, the patient is declared dead when there has been no breath or heartbeat for five minutes. Provided the family agrees, organs can then be removed.
In 2009, no organs were donated by this method in B.C., but the proportion reached 13 per cent by 2012. That’s still a long way from the 40 per cent in Britain.
No one likes to think about organ donation because, except for a few things such as kidney or liver, you have to die to make the gift. For some cultures and religions, it’s more than unpleasant; it’s frowned on or even forbidden.
But unpleasant as it is to contemplate death, we all know it’s also unavoidable. If it’s not against your deeply held beliefs, organ donation can be a remarkable gift.
A donor provides an average of three organs after death. That’s like saving three lives. And bone, corneas and skin can offer life-altering help to others.
You can register at transplant.bc.ca if you have a B.C. Care Card. As you count your blessings over the holiday season, give it some thought.
