Donor Awareness
Children’s lives who have received transplants have been affected so positively by the courageous decision that people make to donate their loved ones organs. Many members have asked what they can do to increase donor awareness. Here are a few of the suggestions that have come from members. Please feel free to let us know if there are any ideas that you have.
Get donor cards from Irish Kidney Association and have them in your house for anyone who asks.
Down load the app. http://www.ika.ie/card
Tell your story locally.
Send your story by email to all of the people in your address book requesting that they get a donor card.
Give interviews.
Go to public meetings and tell them that the cards are at the back
Give the cards into your pharmacy, local church or school and ask them to mention it around kidney donor awareness week.
There is a ski trip run by IKA.
There is an annual remembrance day in Corpus Christi Church which is open to all Transplant Recipients and their families.
The IKA have developed a program to educate secondary school students-particularly transition year students. It is available on http://www.ika.ie/education-pack. Promote it to your local secondary school. Also you can use your personnel experience for the presentation.
Always make clear that it is not enough to carry a card or tick the box on the drivers license. They need to speak to their family. It is not just the decision of your one next of kin. They will not take the organs if any person in the family objects.