What CAN You Do Today?

  I was going to throw out junk mail today and I noticed a form for organ donation. And I filled it out and it's headed off in the morning. Along with the donor card were some disturbing stats. First off, I'll say that I live in a place that does not have Implied Consent- if you wish to donate, you need to fill it out and send it to some government agent who makes a nice living typing your name into a computer. I digress- the statistic that alarmed me the most is that only 16% of folks in British Columbia have filled out donor cards. That means one out of six people have opted to give someone else a second chance after they die.

ONE IN SIX.

  It got me thinking. Some places, like Spain have Implied Consent (you mail a card in to refuse) and have very short waiting lists for organ donations. In Ontario, where I used to live, your donor card is filled out when you get a Health Card or Drivers License. And people have various grounds for wanting to be buried "whole", and most of them are religious. And I do have an opinion about that as well.

  First off, what Greater Power would want someone to die because you read something that some old fart in a cave wrote 6, 000 years ago? Think about this for a second. Also wonder to yourself about G-d's great plan. No spiritual entity put a nuclear power plant so close to some 6 year old kid's house that she's dying of kidney disease. No metaphysical marvel designed brakes filled with toxic asbestos to destroy the lungs of some random mechanic's wife because it is part of some book of life. Man did all of these things and more but we have developed technology to save those people. Found in the bodies of those that no longer need them is power to save another.

  If you haven't signed a donor card, please do it as soon as possible. Some people do go before their time, and if it is you, make sure you don't take someone else into the ground with you.

  Links (alphabetical by state, province, territory, or country) If yours is not listed, check your phone book

The Organ Donation and Transplant Association of Canada 

To Register For Donation in Alabama


To Register For Donation in Australia

To Register for Donation in British Columbia

To Register For Donation in California 

To Register For Donation in Florida

To Register for Donation in Israel   Halachic Donation (International)

To Register For Donation in New York State

To Register For Donation in North Carolina

To Register For Donation in Nova Scotia

To Register for Donation in Ontario 

To Register For Donation in Quebec


To Register For Donation in the United Kingdom

To Register For Donation Call : Yukon 1-800-661-0408; Manitoba 1-204-787-1897; Alberta 1-866-408-5465; Saskatchewan 1-800-667-7551