Why do we need donors?

1
Why do we need donors?

• To meet the needs of everyone living in the UK we
  need people from all backgrounds and walks of
  life to become donors.

2
Where do they come from?

• Hundreds of people die every year while they are
  waiting for a transplant. The gap between the
  number of organs donated and the number of people
  waiting for a transplant is increasing.
• We also know there are not enough blood donors.

3
What the major religions say about blood, bone
marrow and organ donation

• All the major religions in the UK support the
  principles of blood, bone marrow and organ
  donation and transplantation.
• Within each religion there are different schools
  of thought and opinions on organ donation.
• All the major religions accept that organ
  donation is an individual choice.

4
The major religions in Britain

• Buddhism
• Christianity
• Hinduism
• Islam
• Judaism
• Sikhism

5
The major religions of Britain

• What is the attitude of each religion towards
  organ donation after death?

6
Buddhism

• Buddhism has no rules either for or against
  blood, bone marrow and organ donation.
• An important part of Buddhism is the wish to
  relieve suffering.
• Dying and death is seen as a very important time.
  The body must be treated with respect. A dead
  body should only be disturbed for an appropriate
  reason.
• Some Buddhists believe that consciousness stays
  within the body for some time after breathing
  has stopped. An operation too soon will harm
  their future lives.
• Other Buddhists may believe that to generously
  donate an organ can only be a positive act.

7
Christianity

• Christians are encouraged to help others in need.
• Many believe that organ donation is a genuine
  Christian act of love and a way of following
  Jesus example.
• There are various Christian denominations across
  the UK and the world and Christians may follow
  different customs after death.
• For example, some families may keep the body in
  an open coffin before burial so that mourners can
  pay their last respects.
• Some communities may prefer burial and others
  prefer cremation.

8
Hinduism

• No religious law prevents Hindus from donating
  their organs or tissue.
• Hindus believe in life after death and this is an
  ongoing process of rebirth.
• Organ donation is an integral part of the Hindu
  life, as guided by the Vedas.
• Hindus believe in cremation.
• Family members of the same sex will wash and
  bathe their relative in preparation for the
  cremation.

9
Humanism

• Humanists have no religious beliefs. They use
  reason, experience and human values to guide
  their thinking.
• Humanists realise that death is inevitable and
  they dont believe in life after death.
• A humanist funeral allows family and friends of
  the deceased person to remember them and say
  goodbye.
• Many Humanists will believe that they have a
  moral duty to donate their organs after death if
  they can help someone else.
• This will be seen as an individual decision

10
Islam

• Based on Muslim law (Shariah), the Muslim Law
  Council of Great Britain supports organ donation
  and transplantation as a means of relieving pain
  or saving life.
• Normally it would be against the teachings of
  Islam to interfere with a dead body but the
  Shariah believes this can be overruled to save
  another persons life.
• Some Muslim scholars, however, believe that organ
  donation is not permissible.
• Muslims believe that death is the end of one life
  and the start of another.
• Various rituals are followed at the time of
  death. The aim is for the body to be buried as
  soon as possible.

11
Judaism

• Judaism allows blood, bone marrow and organ
  donation if it will save lives. However there are
  strong objections to interfering with the body
  after death which should be buried intact and as
  soon as possible.
• Judaism is clear that no organ may be removed
  from a donor until death, as defined in Jewish
  law, has definitely taken place. This can cause
  problems with possible heart and lung transplants
  where timing is particularly critical.
• Jews may not agree to their organs being donated
  into an organ bank, or for medical research as
  they cannot guarantee that the donated organs
  would be involved in a life saving situation.

12
Sikhism

• Sikhs have no objections to the donation and
  transplantation of blood, bone marrow and of
  organs.
• According to the Sikh religion saving life is one
  of the greatest things that anyone can do.
• Sikhs believe in life after death and a
  continuous cycle of re-birth.
• The body is not needed in this process, it is the
  soul which is eternal.
• It is therefore thought to be a good thing for
  other people to benefit from the organs from a
  Sikhs body.

13
Donating during life

• It is becoming more and more possible to donate
  organs and tissue during life.
• For example, one in four of all kidney
  transplants now takes place thanks to a living
  donor.
• Another example is when a patient has a hip
  replacement operation, the old bone that is
  removed can be donated to someone else.
• All the major religions consider donating blood,
  organs or tissue or bone marrow as an individual
  decision.

14
Jehovahs Witnesses and Blood transfusions

• Jehovahs Witnesses base their lives and beliefs
  on the early Christian Church. They believe the
  Bible was inspired by God and is historically
  accurate.
• Jehovah's Witnesses refuse blood transfusions,
  including autologous transfusions, and the use of
  packed red blood cells, white blood cells,
  platelets and plasma.
• It is seen as sinful for a Jehovahs Witness to
  willingly accept blood and they would no longer
  be able to worship with other Witnesses.

15
In the news

• Parents who want God to save girl lose case
• A case reported in the Daily Telegraph a
  Christian couple were refusing to allow their one
  year old daughter to receive a bone marrow
  transplant. Their position was that it was in
  Gods hands. The judge ruled against them.
• Mother dies after refusing blood
• A young Jehovah's Witness died after giving
  birth to twins, amid claims that she had refused
  a blood transfusion because of her faith.