The Western Cape Department of Health and Wellness is
encouraging residents to discuss their wishes around organ and tissue donation
with their loved ones during Organ and Tissue Donation Awareness Month.
The department says having these conversations in advance
can help families make informed decisions during an already difficult time.
Organ and tissue donation can save lives and improve the
quality of life of transplant recipients. The Western Cape has a proud history
in transplant medicine, including the world’s first human-to-human heart
transplant, performed at Groote Schuur Hospital in Cape Town in 1967.
Western Cape Minister of Health and Wellness Mireille
Wenger said discussing donation wishes with family is an “act of care."
The department emphasises that donation is a personal
choice and respects different cultural, religious, and personal beliefs.
Residents are encouraged to start the conversation by
asking, "If something ever happened to
me, would you know what I wanted?”
The department says one conversation today could
potentially give someone else another chance at life.
Done by: Nia Damoense