LCC Lights up for Organ Donation Awareness Week

Press Release

26 March 2021

#LifeIsAGift #Donorweek21

ODAW21

Longford County Council is delighted to support the Irish Kidney Association led Organ Donor Awareness Week initiative, recognising the need to raise awareness of the vital importance of organ donation.

In a campaign first, this year over 30 county and city council locations around the country have agreed to light up public sites in green to highlight the message that #LifeIsAGift.

Going Green

Green is not just the national colour for Ireland, it is also the official international colour of organ and tissue donation, symbolising the hope organ donors provide to patients-in-need and their families. Green is also the colour of nature, associated with sustainability and renewal. When days are dark and the future is uncertain, the green colour provides confidence and optimism.

As Longford buildings and landmarks prepare to light up green for Organ Donor Awareness from 27 March to 3 April, Chief Executive of Longford County Council Paddy Mahon said “We are delighted to be playing our part in Longford to highlight organ donation. We hope the campaign will generate lots of awareness and important conversations about people’s wishes.”

Cathaoirleach of Longford County Council Paul Ross also welcomed the initiative. “This campaign is a great opportunity to generate awareness about the importance of carrying an organ donor card which could ultimately save a life.”

Patients on the transplant list live in hope, that organ donation will become available to them. But this is also a dark time as their future is uncertain and they know that another family will have to experience death for their own lives to change. By lighting up public sites in green, we are drawing attention to the fact that organ donation is an integral part of active citizenship and we are highlighting how important it is that we all have family discussion on our organ donor wishes.

Spread the word

While ensuring compliance with public health guidelines to prevent the spread of COVID-19, the Irish Kidney Association is encouraging those within their own 5k to snap a photo of themselves outside their nearest green building or landmark in Longford and share it on social media using the hashtag #LifeIsAGift and tagging @LongfordCoCo. Tag three or more of your friends to do the same to spread the word about organ donation. Here is a suggested post to make things easy:

Life Is A Gift, Pass It On! I'm saying yes to Organ Donation, and I'm asking @friend1 @friend2 & @friend3 to do the same! Freetext DONOR to 50050 to get your Organ Donor Card. #LifeIsAGift

Win a facemask

By tagging the Irish Kidney Association on any of the accounts below, your social media post will be entered into a raffle to win one of 100 quality face masks. #LifeIsAGift, #Donorweek21, @irishkidneyAs on Twitter @irishkidneyA on Instagram and @Irishkidneyassociation on Facebook.

More details can be found at http://ika.ie/donorweek2021 where a range of posters and school educational tool kits can be downloaded.

Individuals who wish to support organ donation are encouraged to keep the reminders of their decision available by carrying the organ donor card, permitting Code 115 to be included on their driver’s licence and having the ‘digital organ donor card’ APP on their smartphone. Organ Donor Cards can be obtained by phoning the Irish Kidney Association on 01 6205306 or Free text the word DONOR to 50050. You can also visit the website www.ika.ie/get-a-donor-card or download a free ‘digital organ donor card’ APP to your phone.