What is an organ donor card?
The issue of organ donor cards affects people of all ages. According to a recent survey, only about one third of Germans have an organ donor card. The majority of them do not feel sufficiently informed.
An organ donor card can save lives. It presupposes that one has dealt with the topic death and organ donation during one’s lifetime. No matter what decision is made, the organ donor card records it and provides clarity in situations where a possible organ donation is involved.
The card can be used to indicate the general willingness to donate organs and tissue. Thus one either agrees to it completely or contradicts it. However, it is also possible to limit the donation to certain organs and tissues or to object to their removal.
If your own decision changes over time, the old organ donor card will be destroyed and the change recorded in a new card. The card can be filled out unbureaucratically and within a few minutes as soon as the owner has made a decision according to his conscience. The card should be kept together with the personal papers.
Who needs an organ donor card?
More than 10,000 people in Germany are listed as recipients for a donor organ. Since the number of donors has hardly increased in recent years, the number of people waiting for organs remains at a similar level. Many of them die before a suitable donor can be found.
The donor organs heart, liver and lungs are directly life-saving. The donation of kidneys and the pancreas significantly reduces the suffering of those affected. In addition to organs, tissue such as the cornea of the eyes can also be donated.
In this way it is possible to restore the vision of some people. An organ donor card not only helps the potential recipient, but also supports relatives and treating physicians in making decisions in a difficult situation. If the person concerned deals with the issue of organ and tissue donation while still alive, he or she can make an individual and free decision according to his or her conscience.
If this does not happen, the people close to him/her in such a situation are forced to put themselves in the position of the potential donor. In a situation that is not easy anyway, this can be a particular burden. According to the Transplantation Act, young people aged 16 and over may possess an organ donor card. From the age of 14 years on, it can be specified in writing which organs and tissues are not to be removed.
