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2011 Organ and Tissue Donation Looking for more health information? Contact your local public library for books, videos, magazine articles and online health information. For a list of public libraries in Nova Scotia go to HTTP://publiclibraries.ns.ca Capital Health promotes a smoke-free and scent-free environment. Please do not use perfumed products. Thank you! Capital Health, Nova Scotia www.cdha.nshealth.ca Prepared by: Critial Care Organ Donation Program, QEII, Halifax© Designed and Printed by: Capital Health Audio Visual and Printing Departments The information in this brochure is provided for information and education purposes only. The information is not intended to be and does not constitute healthcare or medical advice. If you have any questions, please ask your healthcare provider. WX85-0470 Rev.07/2011 The information in this pamphlet is to be updated every 3 years. The bones are hard, strong tissues that make up our skeleton. Bones are used in many different kinds of surgeries such as fracture repairs, spinal surgery and removal of tumours. Tendons are used to repair many sports related injuries. The heart valves control the flow of blood in and out of the heart. They are commonly transplanted into individuals who have defects of the heart. For further information contact: Critical Care Organ Donation Program 902-473-5523 [email protected] Or contact the Regional Tissue Bank 902-473-7360 For more information go to: www.legacyoflife.ns.ca (The Nova Scotia Organ & Tissue Donation Program) 4 The Donation of Organs and Tissues Health care providers want to ensure that eligible families are offered the option of organ and tissue donation. Organ and tissue donation are only considered when the patient has died or death is imminent. Many Nova Scotians have confirmed their wish to be an organ and tissue donor on their Nova Scotia Health Card. Others have chosen to make their wishes known to their families. If a person is an eligible donor but their wishes are not known, their family will be asked to give consent for donation. Many families find that donation is a source of comfort through their grieving process. If you are asked to make the decision for a loved one, health care providers will support you no matter what decision you make. The recovery of organ and tissues is done in an operating room with the same standards, respect and expertise that are needed in other surgeries. There is no impact on funeral arrangements or on your ability to have an open casket. There are no costs to the family in relation to the donation. The donation of organs and tissues is anonymous. The recipients of the organs and tissues will not know the identity of the donor. The donor’s family will not know the identity of recipients. The donor’s family will be 1 contacted to ask if they would like to take part in a Gift of Life Ceremony to honour their loved one. Transplantation Transplantation is the only treatment for many people. Over 3500 Atlantic Canadians have received life giving organ transplants since 1969. Thousands have received life enhancing tissue transplants. In Atlantic Canada, many people are waiting for organ and tissue transplants. Organs that are donated in Atlantic Canada are transplanted into recipients from Atlantic Canada, unless there is a life or death situation somewhere else in the country. In those cases, and when there are no local recipients, organs may be sent to other centres in Canada. Organs are only sent to the United States if there are no Canadian recipients. Donated tissue is made into life enhancing and life saving grafts, which are stored at ultra low temperatures for future use. Tissue grafts donated in Atlantic Canada are used in hospitals throughout the country to improve the quality of life for thousands of people. These hospitals provide Capital Health with funds to cover the costs for transportation, testing, processing and storage of the tissue grafts. Donated tissue is not provided to the United States. Can I donate an organ or tissue? Every person is a potential donor. Age is not always important. Organs and tissues are assessed for suitability at the time 2 of a person’s death. Organ and tissue donation is voluntary. Please make your wishes known. Organ and tissue donation is a generous gift, “The Gift of Life”. An organ and tissue donor can save many lives. These organs can be donated The kidneys make urine. They clean the blood and control the amount of water in the body. The pancreas makes insulin. A kidney and pancreas transplant is often done together. The heart is a muscular organ that pumps blood throughout the body. The liver is an organ that removes harmful substances from the blood stream. It also makes bile that helps digest fats and absorb some important vitamins. The lungs are the breathing organs in the chest. In Canada many lung transplants are done each year. The small bowel is the organ that connects the stomach to the large bowel. It absorbs nutrients from the food we eat. These tissues can be donated The cornea is the tissue that covers the front of the eye. It looks like a contact lens. The cornea protects the eye from germs and dust. It allows light to enter. Transplants are done to restore vision and relieve pain. The skin protects us against germs and gets rid of wastes that our bodies produce through sweat. It also helps to keep us warm. Skin grafts are used on burn patients. 3 contacted to ask if they would like to take part in a Gift of Life Ceremony to honour their loved one. Transplantation Transplantation is the only treatment for many people. Over 3500 Atlantic Canadians have received life giving organ transplants since 1969. Thousands have received life enhancing tissue transplants. In Atlantic Canada, many people are waiting for organ and tissue transplants. Organs that are donated in Atlantic Canada are transplanted into recipients from Atlantic Canada, unless there is a life or death situation somewhere else in the country. In those cases, and when there are no local recipients, organs may be sent to other centres in Canada. Organs are only sent to the United States if there are no Canadian recipients. Donated tissue is made into life enhancing and life saving grafts, which are stored at ultra low temperatures for future use. Tissue grafts donated in Atlantic Canada are used in hospitals throughout the country to improve the quality of life for thousands of people. These hospitals provide Capital Health with funds to cover the costs for transportation, testing, processing and storage of the tissue grafts. Donated tissue is not provided to the United States. Can I donate an organ or tissue? Every person is a potential donor. Age is not always important. Organs and tissues are assessed for suitability at the time 2 of a person’s death. Organ and tissue donation is voluntary. Please make your wishes known. Organ and tissue donation is a generous gift, “The Gift of Life”. An organ and tissue donor can save many lives. These organs can be donated The kidneys make urine. They clean the blood and control the amount of water in the body. The pancreas makes insulin. A kidney and pancreas transplant is often done together. The heart is a muscular organ that pumps blood throughout the body. The liver is an organ that removes harmful substances from the blood stream. It also makes bile that helps digest fats and absorb some important vitamins. The lungs are the breathing organs in the chest. In Canada many lung transplants are done each year. The small bowel is the organ that connects the stomach to the large bowel. It absorbs nutrients from the food we eat. These tissues can be donated The cornea is the tissue that covers the front of the eye. It looks like a contact lens. The cornea protects the eye from germs and dust. It allows light to enter. Transplants are done to restore vision and relieve pain. The skin protects us against germs and gets rid of wastes that our bodies produce through sweat. It also helps to keep us warm. Skin grafts are used on burn patients. 3 The bones are hard, strong tissues that make up our skeleton. Bones are used in many different kinds of surgeries such as fracture repairs, spinal surgery and removal of tumours. Tendons are used to repair many sports related injuries. The heart valves control the flow of blood in and out of the heart. They are commonly transplanted into individuals who have defects of the heart. For further information contact: Critical Care Organ Donation Program 902-473-5523 [email protected] Or contact the Regional Tissue Bank 902-473-7360 For more information go to: www.legacyoflife.ns.ca (The Nova Scotia Organ & Tissue Donation Program) 4 The Donation of Organs and Tissues Health care providers want to ensure that eligible families are offered the option of organ and tissue donation. Organ and tissue donation are only considered when the patient has died or death is imminent. Many Nova Scotians have confirmed their wish to be an organ and tissue donor on their Nova Scotia Health Card. Others have chosen to make their wishes known to their families. If a person is an eligible donor but their wishes are not known, their family will be asked to give consent for donation. Many families find that donation is a source of comfort through their grieving process. If you are asked to make the decision for a loved one, health care providers will support you no matter what decision you make. The recovery of organ and tissues is done in an operating room with the same standards, respect and expertise that are needed in other surgeries. There is no impact on funeral arrangements or on your ability to have an open casket. There are no costs to the family in relation to the donation. The donation of organs and tissues is anonymous. The recipients of the organs and tissues will not know the identity of the donor. The donor’s family will not know the identity of recipients. The donor’s family will be 1 2011 Organ and Tissue Donation Looking for more health information? Contact your local public library for books, videos, magazine articles and online health information. For a list of public libraries in Nova Scotia go to HTTP://publiclibraries.ns.ca Capital Health promotes a smoke-free and scent-free environment. Please do not use perfumed products. Thank you! Capital Health, Nova Scotia www.cdha.nshealth.ca Prepared by: Critial Care Organ Donation Program, QEII, Halifax© Designed and Printed by: Capital Health Audio Visual and Printing Departments The information in this brochure is provided for information and education purposes only. The information is not intended to be and does not constitute healthcare or medical advice. If you have any questions, please ask your healthcare provider. WX85-0470 Rev.07/2011 The information in this pamphlet is to be updated every 3 years.