fbpx

Organ Donation

Organ donation allows your legacy to live on in the following ways:

  • By saving lives or improving the quality of life of the recipient (Recording of dead daughter’s heartbeat brings parents to tears).
    • Every year, more than 400 patients wait for a life-saving transplant. Most patients have to wait 5 to 17 years before a suitable organ is found. Some of them die waiting because there are not enough available organs.
  • By advancing education and research through donation of either specific organs or your whole bodies.

Organ donation is covered under three pieces of legislation in Singapore:

HOTA allows for the healthy kidneys, liver, heart and corneas to be removed from a person for the purpose of transplantation in the event of death from any cause.

  • All Singaporean Citizens and Permanent Residents 21 years old and above, who are mentally fit, are automatically included under the HOTA unless you opt out.
  • You would have received a letter from Ministry of Health informing you that you will be included under HOTA, including the option to opt out should you have any objections.
  • If you remain under the HOTA you will have a higher priority in receiving an organ if you need a transplant in the future.

For more information on HOTA, please visit this site.

MTERA allows for the pledging of donation of organs (including those not covered by HOTA), any body part or even a whole body for the purpose of transplantation, education or research upon death. 

  • Anyone 18 years old and above, who is mentally fit, can register their decision to be an organ donor.
  • Opt in scheme in which you can pledge to donate all or part of your body as you have indicated.
  • Family members may also choose to donate a person’s organs under MTERA upon his or her death, in cases where a person had not pledged his organs under MTERA.

For more information on METRA, please visit this site.

HBRA allows for human biomedical research and human tissue for use in research. 

  • Under the Human Biomedical Research Framework and Human Tissue Framework (HTF), consent from research subjects and tissue donors must be obtained.

For more information on HBRA, please visit this site.

For example, Brain Bank Singapore (BBS) is registered as a Human Tissue Bank regulated by the HBRA and HTF. 

  • BBS collects brain tissues from donors such as patients with brain disorders, and healthy individuals who have consented for research after death. 
  • This will further the understanding of neurological disorders and contribute to improving treatment outcomes.

FAQs

NO. Medical care for every donor will not be compromised.

  • Organ donation will only be considered after every effort has been made to save your life.
  • There are strict criteria and steps to be taken before an organ can be recovered under HOTA.
  • HOTA only applies to death in hospitals which meet certain conditions.

While some body parts such as cornea, skin and heart valves may still be donated within 24 hours after the heart stops beating permanently, important organs such as kidney and liver stop working quickly when that happens and will not be suitable for transplant.
In some cases, the brain may stop working before the heart. When there is no chance of recovery, it is known as brain death.

  • Other organs such as the heart, kidney or liver may still continue to work for a short period of time after brain death, and as such, remain suitable for organ transplantation.
  • In brain death, certification of death is done using criteria and tests that are accepted around the world. As part of the process, organ donation will only be considered when death has been declared by two qualified doctors who are not involved in the patient’s care. These two doctors have to make the assessments separate from each other.

Once brain death has been certified, the medical team will meet up with your family. Being informed of the death of a loved one can be heart-breaking and is never easy. As such, the medical team will be available to address any concerns that your family has and provide emotional support. This includes any concerns about organ donation if it has been discovered that the patient has not opted out of HOTA.

The process of organ recovery will be treated with respect. The same careful steps for surgery, as done on any living patient, will be maintained during the process. Any cuts made will be carefully repaired. It will still be possible for organ or tissue donors to have an open casket funeral and a wake is still possible.

For full body donation pledged under MTERA, the body will be transferred to the mortuary and collected by the assigned hospital/university on the same day if death occurs in the hospital. If death occurs at home or other locations, the next-of-kin should inform the National Organ Transplant Unit (NOTU) to make arrangements for collection on the same day.

Full body donations will be used for educating medical, dental, nursing, pharmacy and life sciences undergraduates and postgraduate students, for a period of six months to four years. Following that, the remains are cremated and the ashes returned to the donor’s families if they request for them.

Organ donation is a gift of life to those whose lives have been affected by organ failure.

If you have decided to pledge your support for organ donation, it is important to start a conversation with your family members. It can be an emotionally difficult time for family members when their loved ones die. Being aware of your wishes, including your support for organ donation, can help them make sure that your wishes are honoured.

Frequently Asked Questions

Participating is restricted to individuals above 18 years old due to safety reasons.

We strongly advise individuals with pre-existing medical conditions to seek advice from your doctor to determine their suitability for participation. Additionally, participants are required to sign a waiver disclosing any medical conditions, and there will be a safety briefing before the leap to further mitigate the risks.
Regrettably, given the charitable nature of this fundraising event, there will not be any refunds. Your generosity plays a crucial role in contributing to our cause.
SkyPark Sentosa can continue to operate in the rain unless there are high winds and/or lightning. This is being monitored by a specialised device in compliance with Sentosa Island safety precautions.

Contact Us

All fields are required.
Skip to content