Have the conversationabout organ donation
Deciding now whether you want to be a donor, and talking to your whānau about it, means they will know your wishes if you die.
Having the conversationwith your family
If donation is possible, a healthcare professional will talk with your whānau. They will ask whether they agree to donation, and which organs and tissues they wish to donate.
There is no right or wrong answer. What matters is that your decision reflects your own beliefs and values, and that the people close to you understand it.
This guide takes about 2 minutes. It will step you through 5 questions and make a short summary of your wishes and reasons, which you can share with the people who matter. You can also fill it in together with someone and talk about it as you go.
How do I start a conversation about organ donation?
There is no single right way to start talking about organ donation with your whānau. Here are some ways people have done it:
- When their teenage children applied for a driver licence
- When they renewed their own driver licence or health insurance
- When they saw an organ donation story in the news
- When a friend or family member needed a transplant, or had received one
- When someone they knew became an organ donor
What do I need to say?
Our conversation guide takes you through what to say. The most important things to talk about are:
- Your wish to be an organ and tissue donor
- How your whānau can speak for you if you cannot speak for yourself
- Which organs and tissues you would want to donate
- What your whānau think about organ donation
It is also a chance to find out what your whānau would want when they die.
Resources
As well as the guide, we have resources to help you have the conversation in a way that suits you and your whānau.