•  There is a chronic shortage of most organs needed for transplant in Canada. More than 3,500 Canadians are currently awaiting organ transplants.

  •  In Canada, up to 30 per cent of people in need of a solid organ transplant die on the waiting list.

  •  Only one per cent of all deaths in Canada, in any year, are suitable for possible organ donation.

  •  Demand for transplants is increasing while the number of organ donors remains unchanged.

  •  The spread of Hepatitis-C will increase the need for liver transplants five-fold by 2008. Up to 30 per cent of Hepatitis-C cases damage the liver seriously enough to prove fatal.

  •  Survival rates of transplant patients continue to improve and a majority of recipients live healthy and productive lives.

  •  Transplants are cost-effective. For those with kidney disease, the average cost of dialysis treatment is $50,000 a year. By comparison, the one-time cost of a kidney transplant in BC is approximately $20,000, with an additional yearly cost of about $6,000 for anti-rejection medications.

For more information on organ and tissue donation and how you can donate, visit www.healthcanada.ca/organandtissue on the Internet.

Article Source: http://www.articleset.com