Organ and tissue donation: the gift of life

Making the decision to donate your organs and tissue is a very important and generous gift. Children who have undergone organ transplantation get a very special second chance to lead healthy and productive lives, allowing them to return to their friends, families and communities.

Making the decision to donate your organs and tissue is a very important and generous gift. Children who have undergone organ transplantation get a very special second chance to lead healthy and productive lives, allowing them to return to their friends, families and communities. Most people have likely considered donating an organ but trying to separate fact from fiction about organ donation can cause people to put off their decision for another day.

Facts about organ donation in Québec

According to Québec-Transplant [1], there are over 1,200 Quebecers waiting for an organ transplant.
According to a Leger & Leger poll taken in April 2008, while 90 per cent of Québecers are in favor of organ donation, only 55 per cent actually signed their donor card and talked to their family about their decision.
According to the government of Québec, a single donor can provide organs to eight people, and tissue for up to 15 people.
Each year, organ donations make over 400 transplants possible for individuals on waiting lists in the province. This waiting list is managed by Québec-Transplant [1].
Organ transplants are very successful. The success rate for transplants varies depending on the organ, but is generally between 70 and 90 [2] per cent ten years after surgery.
Several organs and tissues can be donated. Organs used in transplantations include kidneys, heart, lungs, liver, pancreas and even intestines. What’s more, certain bones, skin segments, heart valves, tendons and corneas are among the tissues that can be donated.
Unfortunately, the gap between the number of people waiting for donations and the number of organs and tissues available continues to widen. Over 1,000 people remain on waiting lists every year, in the hopes that they might receive the organ they need for a life-saving or life-changing surgery.

How to sign up as a donor

The Régie de l'assurance maladie du Québec offers you two options to formalize your consent to donate organs or tissues.

You may submit your name to the Registre des consentements au don d'organes et de tissus. To do so, fill out the form, which is mailed to you along with your Health Insurance Card renewal notice or which you can obtain directly from the Régie website [3].

You can also sign a consent sticker and place it on the back of your Québec Health Insurance Card. The sticker is sent to you along with your Health Insurance Card, both when you obtain and when you renew your card. Organ and tissue donation stickers are also available at local CLSCs and hospitals.

For more information, please visit http://www.signezdon.gouv.qc.ca/ [2](French only).

Online sources and useful resources