Gifts of Donation

Organ allocation

Transplant Process

Brain Death

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)

Religious beliefs

Facts and statistics

Brain Death
The brain requires a steady blood supply to deliver the oxygen and nutrients it needs to function. When brain cells do not receive this, the cells die and there is no chance for recovery. Brain death can occur from severe trauma to the head, brain hemorrhage, stroke, drowning or gunshot wound to the head. Brain death is declared when medical tests confirm a complete loss of brain function, including the brain stem. Brain death is not the same as coma. You can recover from a coma, but brain death is death.

Normal Brain Activity

After Brain Death

To be a non-living organ donor, generally a person will die from brain death. Only 1-2% of people die of brain death whereas cardiac death occurs in all other cases. A person declared dead by cardiac criteria cannot generally donate vital organs but could donate tissues such as bone, skin, heart valves and corneas. Cardiac death patients in selected circumstances may be organ donors.