Pledging your organs and becoming an organ Donor

If you want to pledge your organs, you can fill out this form here

An important point to note once you register donor is that your donor card is not a legal entity or an official document. It is merely an expression of your wish to be a donor. The card that we will send you does not carry any legal weight. But do keep it with you and make sure you let all your friends and family know about your intended choice.

Should Organ Donors Talk to Their Families?

Yes! In India it's more important to talk to your family about your decision than it is to pledge your organs and get a donor card. It is one of the most important conversations that a donor will have during their lifetime. By law in India, organ and tissue donation cannot take place without the written consent of the donor's family. Therefore, donors should help their families understand why they decide to be organ donors. For instance, if they have been inspired by another donor's or recipient's story, they could narrate this story to their family so that they understand the sentiment behind this decision. This will make the family more likely to go along with the donor's decision if the need arises.

In India, legally, it is the next of kin of the donor who will decide whether to donate their organs or not. No donation will happen unless the next of kin sign the forms even if you have pledged your organs. Therefore, when you register anywhere to be an organ donor, it's very important to discuss your wish to donate with your family. This is to enable your family to carry out your wishes in case the need arises.

Can anyone donate organs? Are there any conditions under which organ donation is not possible?

Generally, there is no bar to organ donation and one or the other organ or tissues can be donated at any age. The only people who cannot donate organs are those who have/had cancer, HIV or disease-causing bacteria in the bloodstream or body tissues. However, even this is not a hard and fast rule. There have been instances where one HIV-positive person has donated to another HIV-positive patient.

However, it is important to do some essential virology screening before accepting the donor. All potential donors will require a virology screen to prevent possible transmission of disease from the donor to the recipient. The next of kin should be made aware that this is necessary: if there are any objections by the doctors to the donation, these should be respected.

Decisions about an organ's usability are made at the donor's time of death or, in the case of living donors, during the pre-transplant screening stage.

Know more about organ donation facts- https://www.organindia.org/myths-and-facts/