Organ Donation means almost 3,500 transplanted people in Ireland are enjoying extended life.
Organ Donor Cards are now available from over 1,250 INFORM display racks in GP surgery and health centre Waiting Rooms nationwide
There are approximately 550 people in Ireland awaiting life-saving heart, lung, liver, kidney and pancreas transplants. Thanks to the gift of organ donation almost 3,500 transplanted people in Ireland are enjoying extended life.
The Irish Kidney Association, a registered charity, has advocated on behalf of patients and carers for 40 years. It is also the organisation charged with the promotion and distribution of the organ donor card in Ireland. The organ donor card has developed from what started out as the kidney donor card in the same year the Irish Kidney Association was established in 1978.
The Association’s Donor Awareness week took place from March 31 to April 7 and the focus of the week was to raise awareness about the ongoing and ever-increasing demand for organ transplantation, which relies on the public for organ donation. Its key message was that families need to talk to each other and keep the reminders of their willingness to donate visible by carrying the organ donor card and permitting Code 115 to be included on their driver’s license.
Organ Donor Awareness Week also served as a fundraising exercise for the Irish Kidney Association.
In addition to the Waiting Rooms, Organ Donor Cards can be obtained by phoning the Irish Kidney Association tel. 01 6205306 or Free text the word DONOR to 50050. Visit website www.ika.ie/get-a-donor-card
