How does human tissue donation work?
Human tissue donation involves the removal of body tissue from someone who is no longer breathing or has no pulse. It's all about creating a legacy of life.
The five stages of donation
Human tissue donation is a simple gesture for the deceased, which is also easy for loved ones to accept if they have been informed of the deceased's intentions beforehand. Very often, loved ones who have gone through a similar experience say that being able to donate human tissue has given meaning to their loss.
Below are the various stages of a donation.
Verification of consent
Only when the death is formally declared, i.e., the patient is in cardiopulmonary arrest, can the process begin. At that time, health professionals will perform a verification to validate the deceased person’s consent to human tissue donation.
Validation of consent by the family and loved ones
The health professionals will enter into discussions with the deceased’s loved ones to validate their intention to honour the deceased’s wishes. Remember: To be able to donate your human tissues, the onus is on you to discuss your wishes with your family and loved ones. When the time comes, the final decision rests with them. Without their consent, no human tissues may be collected. If you wish to perpetuate your desire to change the life of others, you must discuss this beforehand with them.
Verification of the eligibility to donate
Once the family and loved ones have given their consent to the removal of the tissues, the donor eligibility process begins. At this stage, Héma-Québec enters into communication with the deceased’s family and loved ones.
Collection of human tissues
Human tissues must be harvested within 24 hours after cardiopulmonary death to ensure the quality of the tissues collected. The donor's body is handled with care and respect by a team of professionals who specialize in harvesting tissue. Samples are taken in Héma-Québec's specially designed facilities or hospital operating rooms — in accordance with strict protocols that comply with the standards of Health Canada and other recognized regulatory agencies. Héma-Québec takes complete charge of the logistics surrounding the collection, including the transfer of the donor tissues to its facilities.
Return of the donor to the family and loved ones
The donor’s remains are returned to the family and loved ones who can then begin the grieving process and funeral rites.
Demystifying human tissue donation
The tissue removal procedure does not alter the person's appearance, nor does it prevent funeral rites from taking place.
Human tissue donation is a completely confidential process. The results of serological analyses, like all information obtained for donation purposes, remain confidential. They are used only to determine the person's eligibility for donation.
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