How to become an organ donor? Learn everything about it!

Reasons to be an organ donor

Every year, several campaigns are launched regarding organ donation, and the reason for this is the high number of patients on the transplant waiting list.

These patients have organ transplants as a hope for renewing their health and extending their lifespan.

Therefore, the more donors there are, the more people can be saved. Check out the main reasons to be an organ donor below. See what they are below:

1. Save lives

By becoming an organ donor, you inform public health agencies that you are willing to donate your organs in order to save other lives.

As a result, people who are on the transplant waiting list have more chances, since the more donors there are, the greater the chances of having someone compatible.

And, it is important to say that only one donor is capable of saving more than one life, if he agrees to donate more than one organ, and all are compatible with patients on the transplant waiting list.

So, this is a true network of good, and the best part: it doesn't require any investment or effort.

2. Help reduce the transplant waiting list

Currently, the list of people waiting for a transplant in Brazil is approximately 50 thousand patients.

This is a very high number, and considering that most cases are highly urgent, time is running out.

Therefore, by becoming an organ donor you have the chance to help reduce this number.

3. Your existence is valuable to many!

As we have seen, people on the transplant waiting list are often fighting against time, and when a donor appears, it is practically the beginning of the chance of a new life.

Therefore, by becoming an organ donor you give value to your own existence, as you will offer possibilities to those who need them most.

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Which organs can be donated?

Now that you know the reasons for being an organ donor, we can talk about the practical part, which is the donation itself.

Before anything else, it is important to clarify that there are specific organs that can be donated, and it is you who chooses specifically which ones you want to donate.

On the AEDO website (Electronic Authorization for Organ Donation) the list of organs that can be donated is as follows:

Heart;
Corneas;
Liver;
Intestine;
Marrow;
Skeletal muscle;
Pancreas;
Skin;
Lung;
Kidneys;
Valve.

When creating your authorization, you select which organs you wish to donate, from one option to all of them.

Types of organ donation

The main reason that leads many people to refuse the alternative of organ donation is because they believe that this must necessarily occur after death.

And thinking about the possibility of one's own death is something very uncomfortable for most people.

However, we must clarify that not all organ donations need to occur after death, so some can be done while still alive.

This is especially true for tissues capable of regeneration, such as liver and bone marrow.

Below we will learn about the types of organ donation, which will help you decide which is the best alternative for your case.

Alive

A living organ transplant is one in which the donor is not deceased, and therefore voluntarily offers to donate his or her organs and tissues while alive.

In general, the following tissues and organs may belong to this category:

Blood;
Kidneys;
Liver;
Bone marrow.

In order to be donated while alive, the organ or tissue in question must have the capacity to regenerate, or not cause harm to the donor's life.

Deceased

Organ transplants from the deceased category are the most conventional, as they are performed with organs and tissues from people who have already died.

In general, organs in this category can only be donated if criteria related to the cause of death are met, as there cannot have been any compromise to the health and/or functioning of the organ or tissue.

This category includes:

Heart;
Cornea;
Intestine;
Skeletal muscle;
Pancreas;
Skin;
Valves.

It is important to say that some organs and tissues can be donated in both categories, but, in order to be donated while alive, they cannot compromise the health of the donor, in addition to being in good health and functioning.

Requirements to be an organ donor

In principle, anyone can express their desire to become an organ donor, as this practice merely demonstrates the availability of the citizen in question.

Therefore, there are no specific requirements to declare yourself a donor, especially because several assessments are carried out before a transplant is authorized.

Therefore, if the donor has any health problems that prevent the transplant, this will be communicated before the procedure, immediately after the evaluations.

In any case, to have a better chance of donating, it is important to maintain your health, so that the organ is in good working order and healthy.

Furthermore, it is essential that you officially express your wishes, since donation can only occur with your own authorization or with the authorization of family members and/or close relatives.

Procedure to become an organ donor: find out how to do it

As we explained previously, organ donation can only occur with the authorization of the person themselves, or their family members.

So, the main step to becoming an organ donor is to express this desire, so that it becomes public knowledge.

However, it is important to clarify that in the case of post-death donation, this occurs in 2 cases:

1. If there is official authorization from the donor;

2. If the family authorizes.

So, to ensure this, it is important to obtain your authorization through AEDO (Electronic Authorization for Organ Donation).

This authorization is recorded in the Brazilian Government database, so that it will serve as proof after death.

To make your authorization is very simple, since you just need to access the AEDO website and fill out the authorization form.

After completing the form, you will receive your authorization by email, duly signed by a notary, which makes it official.

It is important to note that you must select which organs and tissues you wish to donate, as to include or remove them later you will need to issue a new authorization.

Finally, the procedure is very simple, so being an organ donor is an option full of advantages for both the donor and the recipient!

Roberta May 27, 2024