Donate Life

I had no idea until just right this minute that this week is DonateLife Week. It started last Sunday 24 February and goes through to Sunday 3 March so I'm getting in late with this post but organ donation is an issue that is better discussed late rather than never.

Organ donation is something that my family has talked about openly for as long as I can remember. I have memories of going through my mum's purse as a child and noticing that it had on her driver's license that she was an organ donor. Mum explained to me what it meant: That if she was to die in a car accident (or any other way) any organs that were still viable could be given to a person who needed them.

I don't recall ever feeling weird about it because I know, and have always known, that the wish of every member of my immediate family is to be an organ donor should they die.

What I do feel strange about is that everyone else doesn't necessarily feel the same. As an organ or tissue donor, one person could transform the lives of more than 10 people. If I was to die tomorrow it would be my honour to help someone else in need of a new heart, say. Or maybe my liver could help someone? I haven't had a drink in five years, this baby is fully restored and in great working order, or so say the doctors.

Now I know this is no laughing matter and I guess there are people out there with different beliefs to me and my family. The important thing though is to have that conversation with your people and find out what their wishes are in regards to organ donation.

If you want to register your wish to be an organ or tissue donor go to this link right here.

Make it official!


V.