SVUH marks Organ Donor Awareness Week 2025 with national call to action: “Don’t leave your loved ones in doubt”

9th May 2025

St. Vincent’s University Hospital (SVUH) is proud to support Organ Donor Awareness Week 2025, running from May 10th to 17th, with a clear message for the public:
“Don’t Leave Your Loved Ones in Doubt.”

The campaign, officially launched by the Irish Kidney Association at the Mansion House in Dublin on May 6th, calls on people across Ireland to have open and honest conversations with their families about their wishes regarding organ donation.

Currently, over 600 people in Ireland are waiting for life-saving organ transplants, including heart, lung, liver, kidney and pancreas procedures. In 2024, 263 organ transplants were made possible thanks to the generosity of 84 deceased donors and 30 living kidney donors. This included:

• 175 kidney transplants
• 16 heart transplants
• 15 lung transplants
• 53 liver transplants at SVUH
• 4 pancreas transplants at SVUH

As a national leader in organ transplantation, St. Vincent’s University Hospital is home to the National Liver Transplant Programme and the National Pancreas Transplant Programme and is the designated national centre for kidney-pancreas transplantation.

Prof. Michael Keane, Interim CEO of SVUH, said: “Organ donation is one of the most selfless acts a person can make. At St. Vincent’s University Hospital, we are privileged to witness the life-changing impact of transplantation every day. This week is about starting the conversation—with family, friends and the wider community—so that no loved one is ever left in doubt about your wishes. It is also an opportunity to honour the incredible generosity of donors and their families who give the gift of life in the most difficult of circumstances.”

Organ Donor Awareness Week 2025 will see a range of awareness-raising activities take place across the country—in homes, schools, workplaces, clubs, and hospitals. SVUH staff, patients and visitors are invited to visit our awareness stand at CentrePoint from today, Friday, May 9th, to learn more and show support.

This year’s campaign comes at a pivotal moment, as the Minister for Health announces the commencement of Part 2 of the Human Tissue Act (Transplantation), enacted in February 2024. The legislation introduces:

• Altruistic kidney donation in Ireland
• The establishment of an opt-out register
• A legal framework where consent to donate is deemed (unless opted out), though retrieval will only proceed if the family has no objection

You can read the full announcement HERE.

How to show your support:

• Talk to your loved ones about your wishes. Say it. Share it. Save a life.
• Request a free Organ Donor Card from ika.ie/donorweek
• Tick YES for organ donation (Code 115) on your driver’s licence application
• Engage on social media and amplify the message:
  • X: @IrishKidneyAs
  • Instagram: @IrishKidneyA
  • Facebook: @IrishKidneyAssociation
  • LinkedIn: irishkidneyassociation
• Use and follow hashtags: #LeaveNoDoubt #ShareYourWishes #DonorWeek25

At SVUH, we are committed to delivering expert, compassionate care and supporting every patient on their transplant journey. Organ donation saves lives—and every conversation could make a difference.

-ENDS-