Mohill woman presents Health Minister with charity emblem for Organ Donor Awareness

The official launch of Organ Donor Awareness Week 2024 took place on April 16 at the Mansion House, Dublin 2. 

The key campaign message continues to be built around sharing your wishes with your loved ones about organ donation with the theme, Don’t Leave Your Loved Ones in Doubt #LeaveNoDoubt.

Organ Donor Awareness Week 2024 will take place on 20 - 27 April and is organised by the Irish Kidney Association (IKA) in association with the HSE’s Organ Donation Transplant Ireland (ODTI).

The signing of the Human Tissue Bill into law by President Michael D. Higgins on February 28 is a significant milestone in the over 60 years of organ donation and transplantation in Ireland.

With the planned introduction of altruistic donation and an opt-out register, we can engage the national population in an important conversation about organ donation.

The IKA is asking the public to use Organ Donor Awareness Week as a prompt to have a family discussion about organ donation. Even after the new legislation commences, consent for organ retrieval will continue to be sought from the families of all potential organ donors. 

By sharing your wishes when you are in good health, you are helping your family act on your behalf in the event that you become a potential organ donor. 

Speaking at the national launch, Ms Carol Moore, Chief Executive of the Irish Kidney Association, said, “We look forward to provisions within the Human Tissue Act being commenced. We know that the Department of Health and HSE are working hard on this and hopefully will announce a future date for the commencement of the Act shortly.

“When the Act is implemented, people who do not wish to donate their organs can opt-out, and in these cases, their families will not be approached in the event of their untimely death. All those who do not opt out will be considered potential organ donors, but their families will still have the final decision. The Act will also allow, for the first time, for altruistic living donation in Ireland, where the donor does not know the recipient.”

At any one time in Ireland, there are approximately 600 people active on waiting lists for organ transplants, including heart, lung, liver, kidney, and pancreas. 282 organ transplant operations were carried out in Ireland in 2023 (32 more transplants than in 2022). 

This activity could not have taken place but for the generosity of the families of 95 deceased donors and 30 living kidney donors. In 2023, 54 liver transplants and 6 pancreas transplants took place at St. Vincent’s Hospital, while 7 heart transplants and 24 lung transplants were carried out at the Mater Hospital.

Last year, an increase in kidney transplants occurred at Beaumont Hospital - 191 kidney transplants took place. While 161 of these kidney transplants were from deceased donors, which was an increase of 31 from the previous year, there were also 30 living kidney donor transplants last year, three less than in 2022.

On December 31 2023, there were 2,502 people in Ireland with end-stage kidney failure undergoing dialysis treatment, but only approximately one-fifth (approx. 500 people) of these are on the kidney transplant waiting list.

The Irish Kidney Association is delighted to be again partnering with An Post and the Irish Pharmacy Union, who are supporting the campaign, and several Pharmacy chains who are also helping to spread the message about the importance of organ donation by displaying the campaign poster and carrying stocks of organ donor cards.