Friday, November 14, 2008

Hospital staff boosts organ-donation awareness

Bright statement: Hospital staff raise awareness for organ donation. Picture: Helen Nezdropa

Liverpool Hospital staff's colorful support

BY KATRINA VELLA liverpoolchampion.com.au

LIVERPOOL Hospital operating theatre staff ditched their usual hairnets last week and went for a colorful option instead. But the change wasn't about looking good, it was all in the name of organ-donation awareness.

The rainbow colors represent Zaidee's Rainbow Foundation, which was set up after a girl named Zaidee Rose Alexander Turner became the first organ donor younger than 16 in her home state of Victoria when she died, aged 7, in 2004.

Katrina Coppin, the organ and tissue donor co-ordinator for the South West Area Health Service, said there was a need for organ donors and that families should sit down and talk about the issue.

"The biggest barrier for increasing organ donation rates in NSW is that families do not know the wishes of their loved one when organ donation is raised, therefore they are more likely to decline organ donation," she said.

"So it is crucial that everybody discusses their wishes with the families."

Len Goldsworthy, the president of the Australian Heart and Lung Transplant Association has had a heart and lung transplant. He said it was hard to believe how much difference a donor could make to a person's life.

"I owe a great debt to my donor and an equal debt to my donor's family," he said.

Mr Goldsworthy said there were several reasons why people did not discuss being an organ donor with their family but they should.

Visit http://www.organdonor.com.au for more information.

“You Have the Power to Save Lives – Sign Your Donor Card & Tell Your Loved Ones of Your Decision”

Register to be a donor in Ontario or Download Donor Cards from Trillium Gift of Life Network
For other Canadian provinces click here

In the United States, be sure to find out how to register in your state at ShareYourLife.org or Download Donor Cards from OrganDonor.Gov

Your generosity can save up to eight lives with heart, kidneys, liver, lungs, pancreas and small intestine transplants. One tissue donor can help up to 100 other people by donating skin, corneas, bone, tendon, ligaments and heart valves

1 comment:

Anonymous said...

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Eng. Jorge Germán Seijas
Buenos Aires - Argentina
AppliedScience.jgs@gmail.com