December

The following organs can be donated and transplanted:

Small bowel

Heart

Lungs

Liver

Kidneys

Pancreas

Deceased donation is a rare occurrence.

For someone to become a deceased organ donor, they must die under very specific circumstances and usually within a hospital setting. Only about 1–2% of deaths occur in such a way for donation to be possible.

Tissue donation can make a profound impact on the lives of many Ontarians.

Every donor has the potential to save and improve up to 75 lives through their generous gift of tissue. Donated tissue can also be recovered up to 24 hours after death and is stored for future use at a tissue bank.

The following tissue can be donated:

Skin (paper-thin layer) can save the life of burn patients through skin grafts.

Eyes from one donor can restore the sight of up to 10 people.

Heart valves can save the lives of children born with congenital heart defects, and can transform the lives of adults with heart disease.

Tendons can return a young athlete to full activity through a tendon graft.

Bone and ligaments can save a patient’s limb through a bone graft following the removal of a tumor.

Facts about deceased tissue donation:

Tissue does not require the same conditions as organs to survive, so tissue donation is possible after the heart has stopped.

Tissue donation can occur at all ages.

The number of Canadians who will need a cornea transplant is only expected to increase due to the aging population.

A living donation!

A living donation happens when a person who is alive gives either a kidney or a part of their liver to someone with end-stage kidney or liver disease. As transplant waitlists grow and wait times get longer, for some patients, the best chance for a life-saving transplant could be a living donor.