Organ Donation Week

Organ Donation Week is observed annually in Türkiye between 3–9 November. The purpose of the week is to raise awareness about the importance of organ and tissue donation, increase public awareness, and boost donation rates for patients awaiting organ transplants. In our country, the number of patients whose treatment is possible only through transplantation due to organ failure is increasing daily, yet organ donation rates remain relatively low. This situation necessitates increasing donations and improving organ transplantation services.

History and Date of Commemoration

In Türkiye, the period between 3–9 November each year is observed as Organ Donation Week. The primary aim of the week is to draw attention to the importance of organ and tissue donation, raise public awareness, and increase donation rates for patients awaiting transplants. The number of patients in Türkiye who require transplantation due to organ failure continues to rise daily, yet organ donation rates remain at low levels. This underscores the necessity of increasing organ donation and enhancing organ transplantation services.

Purpose and Significance

Organ Donation Week aims to support the treatment of patients suffering from organ failure, raise awareness about organ donation in society, and increase donation rates. Another objective is to foster a sense of responsibility toward organ donation across all segments of society, particularly among young people, and to cultivate awareness on this issue among individuals. Organ donation is of great importance as it can save the lives of patients whose conditions can only be treated through transplantation.

Organ Donation and Public Awareness

As part of Organ Donation Week, provincial health directorates and hospitals across Türkiye organize educational sessions, informational presentations, and information booths. Citizens are provided with information about the organ donation process and those wishing to donate are guided accordingly. These initiatives aim to enhance awareness of organ donation throughout society and promote positive attitudes among the younger generation. Donating an organ not only saves a life but also strengthens solidarity and health consciousness within society. When considering the gap between the need for organs and the likelihood of donation, the importance of donation becomes even more evident.

Organ Transplantation and Definition of Organ Donation

Organ transplantation is the procedure of replacing a non-functioning organ in the body with a healthy organ obtained from either a living donor or a deceased donor. The transplant procedure is carried out in two ways: from living donor to living recipient, or from deceased donor to living recipient. In our country, living-to-living organ transplants are more common, while donation rates from deceased donors remain insufficient, particularly in Central and Eastern Anatolia regions. Organ donation is defined as an individual’s voluntary consent, either while alive or after death, to allow their tissues and organs to be used for the treatment of other patients, along with formal documentation of this consent. Any person aged 18 or older and of sound mind may become an organ and tissue donor.

Brain Death and Organ Transplantation Practices

Organ donation can only be performed from individuals who have been declared brain dead. Brain death is a definitive condition in which all parts of the brain, including the brainstem and vital centers, have irreversibly ceased to function, resulting in death. It must not be confused with coma or vegetative state, as in these conditions some brain functions may still persist and the patient may survive for extended periods with medical support. The diagnosis of brain death is made by at least two specialized physicians through standardized tests and is communicated to the family. Family consent is mandatory for organ donation, regardless of whether the individual has an organ donation card. Organs or tissues cannot be retrieved without family consent.

Organs and Tissues That Can Be Donated

The main organs that can be transplanted are the kidney, liver, pancreas, heart, lungs, and small intestine. Transplantable tissues include the cornea, bone, bone marrow, tendon, heart valve, skin, facial and scalp skin, and limbs. These organs and tissues can be used for transplantation provided the necessary compatibility criteria are met.

Legal Framework

In Türkiye, organ and tissue donation is regulated by Law No. 2238 on the Removal, Storage, Transplantation and Donation of Organs and Tissues. According to this law, a person who has not given consent during their lifetime for the donation of their organs or tissues cannot be considered a donor. If no organ donation card has been completed, family consent is required for organ or tissue retrieval. No payment may be made in exchange for organs or tissues under any circumstances.