How can I be a donor?
It's easy to become a donor. Please visit the website of your Provincial organization for more information on how to register where you live. These links can be found here.

How old can a donor be?
There is no age limit for organ donation. Anyone can be a donor. To give consent, Donors must be 19 or over. Family approval is required for younger donors.

Which organs can be donated?
The most frequently donated solid organs include kidneys, heart, lungs, liver and pancreas. Heart valves, other muscular tissue, bone, skin and the cornea can also be used for transplants.

Will every effort be made to save my life if I am an organ donor?
Yes. Potential solid organ donors must be declared brain-dead by two impartial doctors who operate separately from the transplant team. Brain death is defined as the cessation of all brain function. Cornea and tissue donations are also possible from persons who die of cardiac death.

Are there any costs involved?
No. There is no cost to you or your family when you donate an organ.

Can donors still have open casket funerals?
Yes. Organs are carefully removed and incisions closed by a surgical team.

What is the success rate for transplants?
Excellent. For example, after one year, liver and kidney transplant recipients enjoy a survival rate that exceeds 85%.

*Courtesy of the British Columbia Transplant Society