Why do we need donors? To meet the needs of everyone living in the UK we need people from all backgrounds and walks of life to become donors.

Where do they come from? Hundreds of people die every year while they are waiting for a transplant. The gap between the number of organs donated and the number of people waiting for a transplant is increasing. We also know there are not enough blood donors.

What the major religions say about blood, bone marrow and organ donation All the major religions in the UK support the principles of blood, bone marrow and organ donation and transplantation. Within each religion there are different schools of thought and opinions on organ donation. All the major religions accept that organ donation is an individual choice.

The major religions in Britain Buddhism Christianity Hinduism Islam Judaism Sikhism

The major religions of Britain What is the attitude of each religion towards organ donation after death?

Buddhism Buddhism has no rules either for or against blood, bone marrow and organ donation. An important part of Buddhism is the wish to relieve suffering. Dying and death is seen as a very important time. The body must be treated with respect. A dead body should only be disturbed for an appropriate reason. Some Buddhists believe that consciousness stays within the body for some time after breathing has stopped. An operation too soon will harm their future lives. Other Buddhists may believe that to generously donate an organ can only be a positive act.

Christianity Christians are encouraged to help others in need. Many believe that organ donation is a genuine Christian act of love and a way of following Jesus’ example. There are various Christian denominations across the UK and the world and Christians may follow different customs after death. For example, some families may keep the body in an open coffin before burial so that mourners can pay their last respects. Some communities may prefer burial and others prefer cremation.

Hinduism No religious law prevents Hindus from donating their organs or tissue. Hindus believe in life after death and this is an ongoing process of rebirth. Organ donation is an integral part of the Hindu life, as guided by the Vedas. Hindus believe in cremation. Family members of the same sex will wash and bathe their relative in preparation for the cremation.

Humanism Humanists have no religious beliefs. They use reason, experience and human values to guide their thinking. Humanists realise that death is inevitable and they don’t believe in life after death. A humanist funeral allows family and friends of the deceased person to remember them and say goodbye. Many Humanists will believe that they have a moral duty to donate their organs after death if they can help someone else. This will be seen as an individual decision

Islam Based on Muslim law (Shariah), the Muslim Law Council of Great Britain supports organ donation and transplantation as a means of relieving pain or saving life. Normally it would be against the teachings of Islam to interfere with a dead body but the Shariah believes this can be overruled to save another person’s life. Some Muslim scholars, however, believe that organ donation is not permissible. Muslims believe that death is the end of one life and the start of another. Various rituals are followed at the time of death. The aim is for the body to be buried as soon as possible.

Judaism Judaism allows blood, bone marrow and organ donation if it will save lives. However there are strong objections to interfering with the body after death which should be buried intact and as soon as possible. Judaism is clear that no organ may be removed from a donor until death, as defined in Jewish law, has definitely taken place. This can cause problems with possible heart and lung transplants where timing is particularly critical. Jews may not agree to their organs being donated into an organ bank, or for medical research as they cannot guarantee that the donated organs would be involved in a life saving situation.

Sikhism Sikhs have no objections to the donation and transplantation of blood, bone marrow and of organs. According to the Sikh religion saving life is one of the greatest things that anyone can do. Sikhs believe in life after death and a continuous cycle of re-birth. The body is not needed in this process, it is the soul which is eternal. It is therefore thought to be a good thing for other people to benefit from the organs from a Sikh’s body.

Donating during life It is becoming more and more possible to donate organs and tissue during life. For example, one in four of all kidney transplants now takes place thanks to a living donor. Another example is when a patient has a hip replacement operation, the old bone that is removed can be donated to someone else. All the major religions consider donating blood, organs or tissue or bone marrow as an individual decision.

Jehovah’s Witnesses and Blood transfusions Jehovah’s Witnesses base their lives and beliefs on the early Christian Church. They believe the Bible was inspired by God and is historically accurate. Jehovah's Witnesses refuse blood transfusions, including autologous transfusions, and the use of packed red blood cells, white blood cells, platelets and plasma. It is seen as sinful for a Jehovah’s Witness to willingly accept blood and they would no longer be able to worship with other Witnesses.

In the news Parents who want God to save girl lose case A case reported in the Daily Telegraph – a Christian couple were refusing to allow their one year old daughter to receive a bone marrow transplant. Their position was that it was in ‘God’s hands’. The judge ruled against them. Mother dies after refusing blood A young Jehovah's Witness died after giving birth to twins, amid claims that she had refused a blood transfusion because of her faith.