Life Donation: Are You In?

This week Dutch senators have approved a new law that makes every citizen an organ donor, unless they decided they do not wish to.

Everyone who is over 18 and yet has not declared as a donor, will receive two letters asking them to confirm either they want or not to become a donor. After no confirmation, they will be automatically considered as organs donors. This status can be changed by any time.

• What could possibly change after that?

In 2017, over 100 people died in the Netherlands waiting for a organ donation.
The goal is to reduce the number of people waiting for a transplant, and giving people another chance to live.

• Other ways to help

Besides organ donation, that mostly happens after someone's death, you can also help by registering in a Marrow Donor Bank, when you in live can donate your bone marrow to another person. Chances of compatibility are rare, but you can be compatible with anyone in the world.

Another way is to help with Blood Donation, where people undergoing surgeries or even cancer treatment often need blood. The amount of blood someone needs varies from each patient, and a healthy person can donate around 350ml of blood and it takes you around 24h to be replaced in your body.

For both donations mentioned above you need to fill in a requirement and have your blood tested. Unfortunately not everyone can be a donor, but certainly it worths trying.

If you don't know how to donate, search for Blood Bank Near Me on Google, you may find several addresses where you could pay a visit and be tested.

Thanks for reading,
B