Brampton sits near the bottom of the list of registered organ donors. Only 16% of us (77,000 people) are registered with the province. Compare with our neighbours:
- Hamilton – 35% (145,000)
- London – 38% (122,000)
- Kitchener – 36% (100,000)
- Toronto – 19% (459,000)
- Mississauga – 19% (120,000)
Many residents claim religious reasons for not participating as registered organ donors. However, a bigger reason for Brampton’s low participation could simply be a result of minimal public service promotion. Here are some facts that you should be aware of:
- You are 5 times more likely to need an organ transplant during your lifetime than to have the opportunity to donate one. This is because on average only 3% of hospital deaths occur under circumstances that may lead to organ donation.
- 1 donor can save up to 8 lives through organ donation
- 1 donor can affect as many as 75 lives through tissue donation
- There are 1679 Ontario residents currently waiting for life-saving organ transplants
Visit BeADonor.ca to learn more about the donation process, and sign up to be on the list.
Are you a donor? Follow the local discussion on Facebook.
