Repsol launches Become a Donor campaign

Dr Visham Jaikaransingh, director National Organ Transplant Unit (NOTU) at the Eric Williams Medical Sciences Complex, Mt Hope, says the subject of being a kidney donor is a sensitive one, but being a donor can save a life, even yours or a loved one.

Jaikaransingh said the kidney donor pool has decreased significantly over the years. Between 2014 and 2017 there has been a decrease by 50 per cent by deceased donors. He said people gave several reasons why they could not be a living donor such as what their would think, they wanted to be buried untouched, they never thought about it, it was against their religion, they were too old, or just not interested.

The doctor said it was a simple procedure to sign up and become eligible to donate an organ; one had to be over 18 years and in good health.

He was speaking at Repsol's Become a Donor launch at Repsol Angostura, Albion Street, Port of Spain, last Friday.

He said there was an attempt to increase donor registration from deceased people to augment the country's donor pool.

TT business Unit Director, Repsol Angostura Limited, Dave Allan, organ donation and transplantation have been the focus for Repsol for several years.

He said the Repsol Foundation, through the Donation and Transplantation Institute of Barcelona, Spain, became involved as a result of a request by the NOTU 2008 for international assistance in the development of a programme for deceased organ transplantation. Allan said the Become a Donor campaign was to create a greater awareness to citizens on the importance of an Organ Donation Programme to promote and increase donor registration.

Donor Jennifer Raphael saved her brother Peter's life becoming a donor when both his kidneys failed.

"I didn't have a choice, I didn't think twice, he's my brother. When I heard how very ill he was and that he could die because of renal failure, I knew I had to be a donor."

Peter said: "I owe everything to my sister. I was dying, now I have been given a second chance. I am feeling good."