Everyone is being encouraged to sit down with their family and friends to talk about their organ donation wishes this week. A family will always have to agree to donation, whether or not their loved one is on the Organ Donor Register. It's easy, you can even sign up to the register online!

How to Register 

By signing the register and talking to your family about your wishes, you could help save the lives of up to nine people. Organ donation really is the gift of life. Age isn’t a barrier to being an organ or tissue donor, and neither are most medical conditions. People in their 50s and over are encouraged to join, and people in their 70s and 80s have become donors and saved many lives.

You can find out more, including how to join the register, just click here.

To watch the video 'Organ Donation: Speak up and save a life', click here. 

Some families do not consent to the donation of their loved one’s organs, when faced with the choice.

A common reason for refusing is that the potential donor’s family was not aware of their loved one’s wishes. So everyone is encouraged to make their organ donation intentions clear.

When you sign up to the Organ Donor Register you will be able to register to:

• be a donor
• not be a donor
• record the details of up to two representatives, if you feel you would want someone to make that decision for you after death.

Article provided by NI Direct