Why should you consent to human tissue donations?

By consenting to making a human tissue donation, you can change the life of more than 20 people. This simple gesture by donors and their loved ones has enormous benefits for recipients. Discover the main tissues that are collected by Héma-Québec and the people whose life they can change.

How to change lives

Ocular tissues to restore sight

Eye tissue donation makes a corneal transplant possible to restore sight to a visually-impaired person. Whether the eye damage is the result of an accident, a chemical burn, corneal degeneration or other cause, a corneal transplant can change the daily life of these persons. Close your eyes and see…

Because the cornea is an eye tissue that can only be stored for 14 days, the transplant is performed shortly after the donation.

Musculoskeletal tissues to enable an athlete to resume his or her sport

Musculoskeletal tissues to enable an athlete to resume his or her sportMusculoskeletal tissue donation can help a person who has suffered a sports injury: for example, by replacing a ligament or tendon. A person who has undergone a hip replacement can remain active without limitations: daily activities can be maintained without any problems.

Cutaneous tissue to treat burn victims

For those who have suffered serious burns, cutaneous tissue can save their life when applied as a dressing on the affected skin. The use of cutaneous tissue helps maintain hydration and prevent infections.

To facilitate healing and the regeneration of the skin tissue, a second skin graft is applied to support the rehabilitation process.

Arterial tissue for bypass surgery

Arterial tissue grafts used in coronary by-pass surgery, for example by-pass surgery of the arteries that feed the legs, enables blood to circumvent a blockage and circulate adequately to organs and limbs. For its part, the life of patients who suffered an abdominal aortic aneurysm is saved, thanks to a vascular graft that replaces a section of the affected aorta.

Heart tissue to allow the heart to operate properly

For some patients with congenital diseases, or following an infection or progressive deterioration, a heart valve graft enables their heart to begin operating well again and perform its function of making blood circulate to the lungs and return to the various organs.

You too may one day need a tissue graft. Because of an unfortunate accident or a degenerative condition, you could be the next person to depend on the generosity of others.

By consenting to a tissue donation, you contribute to changing lives.