The province has taken a significant step forward in supporting living organ donors and their families with an announcement of funding for a new pilot project last week. But if the government is truly committed to alleviating the stress on the organ donor system, it should review how Albertans make known their wishes to be donors.
The new pilot program announced last week reimburses individuals who donate a kidney or part of a liver or lung to someone in need of the organ for costs incurred as a result of the process to a maximum of $5,500. Prior to the program’s launch, living donors were responsible for the costs of travel and were not reimbursed for time off work, which can last six to eight weeks.
But as significant as the progress in using organs from living donors, the overall organ donation system is in need of work. Every year hundreds of Canadians die while on a wait list for organs. While Canadian Blood Services has been asked to create a new organ donation system to make the process more effective, Alberta could do its part by creating a registry of residents who are willing to be organ donors.
As it currently stands in Alberta, individuals sign the back of their Alberta Health Care card and are encouraged to discuss their decision with family. If a person dies, the AHC card will notify doctors of the person’s intent to donate organs. If the individual is not carrying the card, the next-of-kin will be responsible for deciding whether or not to donate. It is difficult to expect someone who has just lost a loved one to quickly agree to organ donation, even if the subject had been discussed prior.
Most of us hope that in the event we die unexpectedly, our final wishes will be carried out. But ultimately our next-of-kin controls everything, including whether or not to donate organs. The province could alleviate some of the strain on families by creating a legally binding registry where Albertans can make their decision on organ donation known and health care professionals can access it, thereby obviating the need of a grieving loved-one to make the final decision.
Alberta is one of few provinces in the country that does not have any kind of donor registry. The best example of a registry comes from B.C. where anyone can register as an organ donor. In this case, the donor controls the decision, meaning that if an individual registers as a donor and later dies, health care staff can access the registry, find the donor’s name and carry on with the process. They do not require the consent of next-of-kin, thereby easing the emotional impact of the event on a donor’s family.
In 2009, 52 Albertans died waiting for an organ transplant while 61 withdrew from the waiting list. In total there were 291 transplants of all types. It’s difficult not to wonder if those that died could have been saved if there was a more robust system for tracking willing donors in place. Organ donation is often referred to as the gift of life. It is a gift the province should do everything possible to simplify and maximize.
