The Western Cape Department of Health is encouraging residents to talk to their loved ones about organ and tissue donation as part of Organ and Tissue Donation Awareness Month.
The department said knowing a loved one’s wishes can make a difficult time a little easier for families when decisions about donation need to be made.
It said one donor could potentially help several people, either by saving lives or improving the quality of life of those living with serious illnesses or organ failure.
Western Cape Health MEC Mireille Wenger said that talking about donation is an act of care that could give someone else more time with their loved ones.
She stressed that the decision to donate is a personal one, guided by individual, cultural and religious beliefs.
“None of us wants to imagine losing someone we love, but speaking to our families about our wishes is an act of care. It is a simple conversation that can help those closest to us understand what we would want and, through organ and tissue donation, could one day give another person more time with their loved ones.”
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