The Gift of Life

It’s a conversation you hope and pray you never have.

Yet every day in Ontario, families faced with the tragic or sudden death of a loved one look beyond their tragedies to save and improve the lives of others through organ and tissue donation. In the midst of profound personal loss, making the decision to donate is a life-changing act for families. Knowing that other lives were saved or enhanced becomes a core part of the healing process for the loved ones of an organ and tissue donor.

Have you told your spouse, siblings, children or friends about your wishes? What would you want if suddenly it was you who fell off a ladder or experienced a terrible motor vehicle accident and succumbed to your injuries? Would your voice be heard? Would the people you leave behind know your wishes and be able to be comforted by giving your gift of life?

More and more families and friends are making time to talk about organ donation and their wishes. I’ve told my husband if I die unexpectedly please respect my wish to donate my organs and tissue. I’ve also registered my consent to donate through the OHIP registry. It is vitally important, whether you decide to consent to donate or not, to discuss your wishes with your family. By doing so, you relieve your family of the burden to decide whether to donate on your behalf during their time of grief.

Despite increasing awareness around donation, there is more that can be done. To learn more, please visit www.giftoflife.on.ca.  «

Christine Clark, Chief Communications Officer