The Chair of the Sarnia Organ Donor Awareness group (SODA) is applauding a move by the Canadian Revenue Agency that is aimed at getting more people to consider donating.
When Ontarians file their taxes in 2023, they'll have the option of seeking further information from the government about organ and tissue donation.
SODA Chair Sue Morrison Weir said it's a useful tool to promote conversation which is always the first step toward understanding the importance of the need for organ and tissue donation.
Morrison-Weir said in Sarnia-Lambton, the registration rate to become an organ donor is relatively high, but could always improve.
"Lambton County has a 57 per cent registration rate, and The City of Sarnia has a 54 per cent registration rate," she said. "That's incredible, considering that the provincial rate is only 35 per cent. So we've done a great job. But, in real numbers, that means in Lambton County there are still 45,000 people who have not registered their consent."
Morrison-Weir said considering whether to donate your organs is a very personal decision, depending on one's beliefs.
"But, we do have t-shirts that have sort of been the backbone of things for years and they say 'don't take your organs to heaven because heaven knows we need them here'," she said. "You can't take them with you when you go. People are literally dying waiting for organs. One every three days in Ontario."
Morrison-Weir estimates around five people benefit from organ donations locally every year. She doesn't have specific statistics due to privacy rules.
She said about 50 per cent of families decline to donate their loved one's organs if the deceased doesn't specify their wishes.
You can click here for more information and to register.
