A DeAth in Your FAmilY - City of Prince George

Many people and institutions will need
to be notified. Tasks may include contacting
the federal government about pensions and
the land registry about property your loved
one owned. In most cases, these tasks are not
urgent. They can be left to the executor or
administrator to handle.
What if the Loved One Wished to Donate
Organs and Tissue?
He or she may have made a decision to donate
organs and tissue and may have discussed
those wishes with you. Or the wishes may be
recorded in the Will.
In BC, the Human Tissue Gift Act regulates
organ and tissue transplants or donations.
This law governs donations made after a
donor’s death, as well as donations made
from one living person to another.
The BC Transplant Society is responsible
for all aspects of organ transplantation in
our province. The Organ Donor Registry of
the BC Transplant Society has replaced all
previous ways of indicating organ donation.
(In BC, you used to be able to indicate
your wishes on your driver’s licence.)
When your loved one dies in hospital, the
medical staff person enters the deceased’s
personal health number into the organ
registry database. If the deceased is registered
in the Organ Donor Registry, the system will
fax the hospital the form that indicates the
loved one’s decision. The medical staff will
show you this form.
If your loved one was not registered with
the Organ Donor Registry, medical staff will
ask you, as next-of-kin, if you are willing to
have his or her organs donated. While you are
not legally bound to do so, you may wish to
make your decision based on what your loved
one would have wished.
If your loved one wished to donate organs
or if the next-of-kin consents to donation,
the family has an opportunity to say their
farewells before the organs are removed. A
team of surgeons and a specialist trained in
organ recovery will carefully remove organs
and tissue. The body is then prepared for the
funeral home of your choice.
Donation of organs and tissue should not
cause a delay in the funeral arrangements
and you will be able to have an open casket,
if you wish.
Body Donation Program
If your family member donated his or her
body for anatomy or medical studies, you
need to make separate arrangements with the
Department of Cellular and Physiological
Sciences at the University of British Columbia.
Telephone: 604 822-2578
If you call after business hours, a message
on the Department’s voicemail will provide
an alternate number.
There is information online at
www.cellphys.ubc.ca/bodyprogram.html.