Should organs only be donated to organ donors?
Damon needs your help answering this very difficult question.
Do you deserve an organ to save your life? Listen as KZN reacts to this in the podcast then read more below:
Read: Mom to carry terminally ill baby full term, donate organs
Just some background first. The process to become an organ donor is straightforward. You register, you receive a small organ donor card to fill in that you carry with you at all times, and you also get a sticker to put on your ID document and on your driver's license. You then let your family know that you want to donate your organs and ask them to honour your wish when you're gone.
There are no costs involved for the donor or his/her family, and one person can save seven other lives. How amazing, right? Having a medical condition doesn't necessarily prevent a person from becoming an organ or tissue donor, but remember it's a choice. For privacy and legislative reasons, donors and recipients are never identified.
Read: Are you a registered organ donor?
In other words, are people deserving of someone else's organs even though they themselves aren’t willing to give up theirs? My first thought is that each life is precious and if there's an opportunity to save someone's life, surely we shouldn't be worried if someone else is a donor or not?
If you want to find out more about organ donation, please contact the Organ Donation Foundation of South Africa by visiting their website https://www.odf.org.za/ or by calling toll-free 0800 22 66 11.
My question to you is: Assuming you're able to donate your organs at the time of death, should organs only be donated to organ donors? Let me know below.