Organ donation can help save many lives, and it is crucial that people understand the importance of organ donation so that it becomes an increasingly common act.
To become a donor, you just need to talk to your family about your wish to be a donor and make it clear that they, your family members, must authorize the organ donation. In Brazil, organ donation will only take place after family authorization.
According to the Ministry of Health, the voluntary donor, the one who is alive, can be any person who agrees to the donation, as long as it doesn’t harm his or her own health. The living donor can donate one of the kidneys, part of the liver, part of the bone marrow, or part of the lungs. The legislation foresees that relatives up to the fourth degree and spouses can be donors. If they are not relatives, only with judicial authorization. The deceased donor, on the other hand, is a patient with brain death, usually victims of brain problems, such as head trauma or stroke.
Which organs/tissues can be donated?
The Ministry of Health has set aside a page on its website to deal with organ donation. The following organs can be donated
– Heart
– Liver
– Pancreas
– Lungs
– Kidney
– Cornea
– Tissue
Is it possible to donate organs while I am still alive?
When the donor is still alive, it is possible that some of his organs be donated.
However, there are some requirements for such an act, such as being a legally capable citizen, the donor’s good physical and physiological condition, the organ’s functional state, and the discarding of the possibility that they might offer any risk to the recipient’s health.
Remember that the donation is only made with the authorization and follow-up of doctors, who will guide the donor throughout the process.
The organs that can be donated during life are: kidney, pancreas (partially), bone marrow (if compatible, done through bone aspiration or blood collection), liver (only part of it, around 70%), and lung (only part of it, in exceptional situations).
Can I choose who I donate my organs to?
If the donation is made during life, according to the requirements mentioned above, it is possible to choose who will be the recipient. On the other hand, for post-mortem donation, the organs will be sent to patients who are on the transplant center’s waiting list. The criteria used is the waiting time and the receiver’s health conditions, prioritizing the most urgent cases.
Make your family aware of your wish to be a donor and save lives!
