
How to sign up to be an organ donor in Ontario
October 14, 2014
Why travellers prefer Blue Cross
October 14, 2014
At any given time, more than 1,000 people in Ontario are waiting for a transplant. Plain and simple – organ and tissue donations save lives. It is often the only form of treatment for people with damaged organs. Without a healthy organ from a gracious donor, someone who needs a transplant will likely die. This is why becoming a donor is encouraged and important for the well-being of our society as a whole.
Many people are surprised when they learn how many people are not donors, especially in Ontario. What people fail to realize is that even if you are a donor, to be able to donate an organ and for your organs to be in a good state for donation, your body needs to die in the hospital, while on life support. This criterion leaves only a small number of people, and it’s even more reason for you to become a donor and help save a life.
There is a wide range of organs and tissues that you can donate, including the following:
Signing up to be a donor in Ontario is much easier than you might think. Did you know that it only takes 2 minutes to register as a donor? Here is what you need to know about signing up to be a donor:
To qualify as a donor in Ontario, you must be at least 16 years of age. There is no cost to becoming a donor, and if you change your mind, you can withdraw your consent at any time.
After you register, you will receive a confirmation letter in the mail, so make sure your mailing address is up to date.
To put things into context, here are some statistics about donors in Ontario:
Source: https://beadonor.ca/scoreboard
There are many reasons you should consider registering to be an organ donor:
Only 50% of families consent to organ donation if a loved one who dies did not register their consent. If you want to be a donor, it’s important to make your intentions clear, so your family can fulfill your wishes.
Staying healthy is important. Make sure you are properly covered with a private health insurance plan, get a free quote today!