Have you talked to your family about organ donation?

9 October 2014
Have you talked to your family about organ donation?

Patients, visitors and staff at Wellington Hospital will be encouraged to have a slightly different conversation tomorrow as part of Organ and Tissue Donation Awareness day.

Hospital cafés will place stickers on coffee cups with the words ‘Have the conversation today’, encouraging families to talk to each other about organ and tissue donation.

Gary Whitaker’s daughter Ayla was just 17 when she died, but her organs have given eight people a better quality of life.

“Ayla didn’t get to live until she was 80. She only reached 17 but she has saved eight people’s lives. She’s made a profound difference to the lives of the recipients and their families.”

Whitaker will be at the hospital tomorrow morning to help promote awareness around the issue, and explain why other families should have the important conversation.

Many people are listed as donors on their driver’s license, but this is only an indication of what you want.

When donation is possible, a health professional will have a discussion with your family and ask them for their agreement to donate.

Organ donation is only possible when a person is on a ventilator in an intensive care unit, usually with devastating brain damage. Less than 1% of all deaths happen this way.

For more information on organ and tissue donation visit: www.donor.co.nz

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