How Do You Want Your Remains to Remain?

This week is Organ Donor Awareness Week. Throughout the world, organ donation programmes are essential to not only save lives but also for research and to train medical students and professionals in improving innovation and advancing medicine.

Giving people the option to donate their organs for research, saving lives, and medical benefit for others, also gives a sense of purpose and legacy long after they are gone.

If you aren't aware of different options for organ donation check out https://www.hse.ie/eng/about/who/organdonation/awarenesscampaigns/

If you wish to Donate Your Organs, who have you told? Will your organs be viable? To get an organ donor card go to:

Ireland - https://ika.ie/get-a-donor-card/

UK - https://www.organdonation.nhs.uk/helping-you-to-decide/about-organ-donation/the-nhs-organ-donor-card/

USA - https://www.organdonor.gov/sign-up

Australia - https://www.servicesaustralia.gov.au/how-to-register-australian-organ-donor?context=22331#:~:text=Once%20you've%20recorded%20your,of%20your%20decision%20to%20donate.

Philippines - https://nkti.gov.ph/index.php/news/newsroom/1278-sign-an-organ-donor-card-today

For All Other Countries - Check Your Health Department for guidance on becoming an organ donor.

Please note, as far as I know, that for your organs to be donated when you die your organs can only be taken if you are in or near a hospital at the time of death, so make sure you have an alternative option. One is to donate your brain so check with your medical university for their options - e.g. in Ireland contact https://www.rcsi.com/dublin/research-and-innovation/research/resources-and-facilities/biobank/dublin-brain-bank

If you wish to Donate your body to medical research contact your local medical university for their application. In Ireland you can donate through:

a. Trinity College Dublin - https://www.tcd.ie/medicine/anatomy/donation-of-remains/, and

b. Royal College of Surgeons Ireland - https://www.rcsi.com/dublin/about/faculty-of-medicine-and-health-sciences/academic-departments/anatomy-and-regenerative-medicine/anatomical-gift-programme

Please note that when you donate your body, this is taken within 12-24 hours so there is no body for a funeral. Also, if you die for non-natural causes requiring an autopsy then your body won't be accepted, so make sure you have a back-up option. 

There are many ways you can live on - through donation, research, and contributing to life saving medicine.

Your organs are of no use to you once you are gone so consider the option to make them beneficial for someone else.

If you would like to learn more about getting your plans in place for your life, your death, and your legacy, please reach out to us at Living Legacy. Book an introductory call at www.livinglegacy.ie

We look forward to helping you navigate the journey.