An essential discussion
Family Discussions
The best way to make your wishes known and have them respected.
Our Youth as Ambassadors of Family Discussions
While doing the Chain of Life program, students are led to form a personal and informed opinion about organ and tissue donation.
Then, by sharing their opinion and their wishes with their families, they open up a dialogue on the subject and can thus dispel the myths and falsehoods that sometimes still surround organ and tissue donation.
The students thus become ambassadors for family discussions about organ and tissue donation.
Ultimately, Chain of Life hopes to reach the entire population.
Why Family Discussions Are Essential
Sharing your wishes on organ and tissue donation with your family is the best way to make sure they are respected when you die.
Also, if those close to you know your wishes, it will take off the burden of them having to make the decision of whether or not to donate your organs and tissues, should this situation arise. It will save them a heartbreaking choice when they are already overwhelmed by emotion and grief.
For these two reasons, it is essential to have the discussion about organ and tissue donation with your family members.
Have you done so?
YOUTH MADE AWARE
WELL-INFORMED FAMILIES
MORE LIVES SAVED
The Importance of Sharing Your Wishes
A testimonial from Sylvie Massia: a discussion that saved four lives.
A moving account by Sylvie Massia about her daughter, Stéphanie Tapp who donated her organs. Stéphanie had done the Chain of Life program in class.
A word from Dr. Daniel Borsuk: it always starts with education.
Dr. Daniel Borsuk, physician-surgeon, testifies about the importance of educating our youth and making their wishes known.
Signing Isn’t Enough!
Why signing your health insurance card is not enough
You‘ve signed your health insurance card and you think that’s all there is to it?
Wrong!
You must also talk with your loved ones, because in Quebec, the medical team always respects the family’s decision. A decision extremely difficult to make for a grieving family.
If your loved ones know your wishes, it will help them immensely with a decision that must be made with extreme urgency.
In order to make your consentement to organ and tissue donation known, you can:
- sign the sticker designed for this and stick it on the back of your health insurance card;
- enter your consent in the Registre des consentements au don d’organes et de tissus managed by RAMQ;
- sign the Consent Registry for Organ and Tissue Donations of the Chambre des notaires du Québec when drawing up your will.
But, most of all, you must talk about it with your family.
Like a Child Blowing on a Dandelion...
The impact of the donation of just one organ is immeasurable. There is, of course, the life of the transplant recipient that is forever changed. And, the transplant will also have an impact on all those with whom the person rubs shoulders: family, friends, co-workers...
And that is for just one organ! The same is true for the other organs and tissues transplanted. When you think that a single person can donate up to 8 organs and 20 tissues! Imagine what an impact that could have! Imagine all the people whose lives would be affected!
If more people decided to donate their organs, the impact would spread like the grains of a dandelion blown by a child... Have you discussed organ and tissue donation with your loved ones?
Donor Families
It is donor families who make organ donation possible. During a particularly trying time, they made the decision to offer others the chance to live longer or enjoy a better quality of life. Without them, there would be no organ and tissue donation. Along with the donors, these families are real heroes.
I fought upto the end upto him
And you gave me his life
In exchange for a blow of breath
That I multiply