The Irish Times view on organ donation: a life-saving decision

This is organ donor awareness week, an annual reminder of the crucial role played by donation in the lives of those whose organs have failed. Kidney, liver, lung and heart failure are among the conditions where, in many cases, the availability of an organ donated by another person may mean the difference between life and death.

Organs for transplant can either be taken from a living person or from a patient who has died in hospital from some other cause. There are currently almost 600 people who are actively waiting for a heart, lung, liver, kidney or pancreas transplant in the Republic. Despite the unprecedented challenges which the Covid-19 pandemic has presented to the wider health service, organ transplants continued thanks to organ donors and their families and to the work of dedicated professionals who facilitated transplant operations at Beaumont, Temple Street, St. Vincent’s and the Mater Hospitals. However, there was a decline in the number of transplants over the past two years. Some 104 kidney transplants took place last year, against a previous average of 128. Liver transplants dropped more precipitously in 2021, from a five-year average of 61 to 35.

Among the challenges is the availability of intensive care unit (ICU) beds. Figures from the National Renal Office show that one in three patients admitted to ICU as a result of Covid-19 develop acute kidney injury and require dialysis. Some of these will in turn require a kidney transplant. Despite these challenges 206 transplant operations were completed in the State in 2021 as a result of the generosity of the families of 65 deceased donors and 35 living kidney donors.

The theme for this year’s organ donor awareness week is Share Your Wishes. The Irish Kidney Association sees the traditional organ donor card and the digital donor app as an “icebreaker” to get the organ donation conversation started. The card, or app, is a symbol of your wish to donate but is not a legal document. However, it is a vital prompt that assists an approach to family members to discuss your organ donation wishes.