Walking the walk on organ donation

A new study ways that while 90 per cent of Ontarians say they support organ donation, only 17 per cent have registered their intent to donate. The regional variation seen in Ontario, where rural communities are more likely to have higher registration rates, mirror patterns in other jurisdictions, including many American states.

What's the disconnect? What are your views? Are you registered?

Comments

[Sue-Ellen M.]

I'm registered as an organ donor.

[Evil Me]

Not registered for organ donation. Never did a survey about organ donation.

[Aly]

I'm a donor. What good are my organs to me when I am gone? I can't imagine being in a situation of needing an organ for survival and there not being one, ever. It's just the right thing to do.

[Markalanwhittle]

Giving the gift of life, through organ donation, is one of the noblest and most honourable acts anyone can do for their fellow man.

[kathy Hagan]

Perhaps the reason for disparity in the numbers of registered people willing to donate organs is lack of public education.
Aside from agreeing to sign health cards and drivers license forms we need to have dialogue with health care provisioners.
I do not agree that organ donation should be mandatory. I still believe that a signed form should state yes or no.
Many cultures do not believe in organ donation and those wishes should be respected.
As for myself I have signed the forms and my family know that I wish my organs to be donated.

[lalala]

Organ donation should be opt out instead of opt in.

[Kate]

I think it's great but what's the process? I mean what will my family go through in this already hard time since I have chosen to donate my organs? Do they get my body back or cremation only after that or if you donate organs do you donate the whole body? How will my organs be used? For human transplant or research? Crazy questions but valid - and answers I don't have. I guess 'they' have a website but a brochure in the mail answering some of those hard questions would really relieve some fears out there and get people talking. Really it's about people dying and that's always hard. I wonder what percentage of people have wills as well - organ donation would come up then I'm sure. Maybe we're just avoiding the whole dying thing completely and organ donation suffers for it. In respect, these are my thoughts.

[Lynn]

The problem with the organ donation is that even though you have decided to donate your organs it's not up to you when you die. It's up to the next of kin and they can say no. So why do we need to sign a form that can be over ride by the next of kin. If you sign the card then the next of kin should have no say. The hospitals should have the right without permission as long as it is on your health card saying that you wish to donate. The next of kin should only be ask if you haven't signed and your organs are good for donation.

[Chantal]

I'm donating all my organs when I die. :)