This is what he told his transplant co-ordinator when she asked why he wanted to be a donor.
Hayes, 62, carries his organ donor card in his wallet as he’s already signed up for future donations when he no longer needs his organs.
“Be blessed and be a blessing for others,” he said.
While there are some lingering misunderstandings about Church teaching on organ donation, there’s no doubt it is seen as a noble act. And it’s not only permissible but encouraged, said Moira McQueen, director of the Canadian Catholic Bioethics Institute (CCBI).
In fact, Pope Benedict XVI carries an organ donation card, said McQueen.
“I think that speaks volumes to the rest of us about what Church teaching is,” said McQueen. “If it’s good enough for the Pope, it’s probably good enough for the rest of us.”
When deciding whether or not to be an organ donor at the end of life, Catholics should consider that this act could save somebody else’s life, said McQueen.
The only part of Catholic teaching with a different approach than the medical world is the length of period that surgeons should wait before removing organs after cardiac death (when the heart stops beating). The normal length of time is five minutes, she said.
But since the CCBI came across a Canadian surgeon who said he knew of a case of auto resuscitation where the heart had restarted itself somewhere up to the 10-minute mark, they recommend that Catholic hospitals wait 10 minutes to cover that possibility.
There are currently more than 1,500 people on the waiting list in Ontario and we lose one of them approximately every three days, said Ronnie Gavsie, CEO of the Trillium Gift of Life Network.
The issue that’s discussed in many meetings with faith leaders is what happens to the body after organ donation, said Gavsie.
“The body is buried whole and the funerals are not delayed,” she said. “And if that particular faith wishes the body to be viewed, it could be viewed and nothing would be noticeable. Nobody would know this person had been a donor except for the family who had consented to it.”
Every Ontarian at the end of their life is a potential donor, said Gavsie. And everyone over 16 with a health card is eligible to register their consent to donate which takes about three minutes.
But she stresses the importance of letting your family know you want to be an organ donor.
“Less than 50 per cent of the time will the family consent unless they have knowledge in advance that their loved one did wish to consent.”
This year alone, there have been 198 living donors and 184 deceased donors.
“One donor can save eight lives and enhance the lives of up to 75 other people,” said Gavsie.
In order to register as an organ donor in Ontario, see www.beadonor.ca. For those who would like to speak with a liver and/or kidney donor about the experience or ask questions about their situation, e-mail Hayes at mhayes.rmt@gmail.com.
The gift of life: a personal checklist
o Talk to your family and friends about organ and tissue donation. Make your wishes known to them.
o Say “Yes” to organ and tissue donation today by: visiting your local Service Ontario Health Card Services-OHIP office or outreach site; you can also download and complete a Gift of Life Consent Form at www.giftoflife.on.ca, www.health.gov.on.ca, www.HealthyOntario.com or call 1-800-263-2833 and request a form (even if you have signed a donor card, you still need to register your consent through one of these two methods to ensure that your decision to donate is known and respected).
o As soon as you or a loved one become ill or become aware that you are in need of surgery or some other serious medical procedure, contact your parish office to receive the Sacrament of the Sick and to include your name on the list of those prayed for at Mass.
o If you or a loved one are sick and admitted to hospital, state that you are a Roman Catholic and express your desire to have a Catholic chaplain visit you.