FAQ
How do I obtain an Organ Donor bracelet/necklace/disk?
Medic Alert provides these items, not the Organ Donor Foundation. Please telephone Medic Alert on (021) 425 7328/ 0861 112 979 or Elixir Medical Shields on 0861 115 178for further information.
How do I become a potential organ / tissue donor?
The process is straightforward. Register / Registreer on line or call the Organ Donor Foundation toll free on 0800 22 66 11. We will then send you a small card to fill in and carry in your wallet. We will also send you a sticker to put on your ID document and on your driver’s license. There is no register in South Africa. Finally we recommend you discuss your decision with your next-of-kin as ultimately they will have to give approval when you die. Ask them to honour your wish.
Who can be an organ or tissue donor?
Anyone can be a donor, as long as they are in good health and clear of defined chronic diseases that might negatively affect the recipient.
Can I be a donor if I have an existing medical condition?
Having a medical condition does not necessarily prevent you from becoming an organ donor. Medical professionals will decide what organs can be transplanted.
Why do I need to discuss becoming a donor with my family?
After death, your organs cannot be removed for transplantation unless your family gives their permission. The removal of organs or tissue without consent is protected by the Human Tissue Act, no 65 of 1983 (as amended).
Which organs can be transplanted?
Heart, lungs, kidneys, liver and pancreas
Which tissues can be transplanted?
Corneas, heart valves, skin and bone
Can I agree to donate only some organs or tissue and not others?
Yes. Please inform your family which organs or tissue you do not wish to donate.
How long after death do the organs or tissue have to be removed?
To ensure successful transplantation, it is essential that organs or tissue are removed as soon as possible after the donor is declared brain death. Two independent doctors must certify that the donor is brain dead.
Does it cost anything to become an organ or tissue donor?
No, there is no cost to your or your family.
Does my family pay for the cost of donation?
No, the hospital or state will cover all medical expenses from the moment that two independent doctors declare you brain dead and your family gives their consent for the removal of organs or tissue.
Does my family receive compensation for donating my organs?
No. Organ donation is a gift from you.
Can people buy or sell organs and tissue?
No. Organ donation is a gift of life from one family to another. Trading in organs and tissue is illegal.
Can I donate an organ or tissue while I am alive?
Yes, in some cases. Live donations, such as a kidney and part of a liver are often done between family members who have compatible blood groups and tissue types, which ensures a high success rate. You can also donate bone marrow while you are alive.
How do doctors know I am really dead?
Two doctors who are completely independent of the transplant team must perform detailed tests before a person can be declared brain dead. Medical professionals adhere to very strict criteria before declaring brain death. These criteria are accepted medically, legally and ethically in South Africa and internationally.
Can doctors keep me alive on support systems?
All potential donors are patients on support systems. All potential donors undergo stringent tests to certify brain death. Patients become organ donors once brain death is certified and the medical staff have received permission for the organs to be donated. Support systems are maintained until the organs have been removed. The organ donor is declared dead at the time that their death is certified and not when the support is withdrawn.
Does being a donor delay the funeral?
No. The family receives the body for burial or cremation as soon as the donated organs or tissue has been removed.
Is my body left disfigured by the organ or tissue donation?
No. Medical staff treat the donor’s body with the utmost respect and dignity at all times. Surgeons and trained staff take the utmost care in recovering the organ and tissue. The process does not change the way the body looks.
Are there religious objections to transplantation?
Most religions support organ and tissue donation as it is consistent with life preservation. If you are unsure, you should talk to your spiritual leader.
Would the transplant recipient ever know who the donor was?
No. Every case is confidential except in the case of living donors, where transplants are done within the same family. Recipients may write letters of gratitude which are passed on to the donor family, who always appreciate the thanks.
Can I change my mind?
Yes. You can change your mind at any time. Simply tear up your organ donor card and remove the sticker from your ID document and driver’s license. Please inform your family that you no longer wish to be an organ donor.