📢 Organ Donation Law Changes – What we need to know? 📢

From 17 June 2025, a major change in Irish law will affect everyone aged 18 or over regarding organ donation.

Under the new Human Tissue Act 2024, Ireland is moving to a “soft opt-out” system. This means:

✅ If you are over 18, you will automatically be considered an organ donor unless you choose to opt out.
❌ If you don’t want to donate, you must register on the Organ Donation Opt-Out Register.
💬 Family will still be consulted before any donation happens, so it’s very important to talk to your loved ones about your wishes.

Why it matters for our community:
Organ donation can save lives, and in our Cantonese-speaking community, it’s important that we understand these legal changes and ensure our cultural and personal wishes are respected.

We encourage everyone in our community to:
🔹 Learn about the new law
🔹 Talk to your family and elders
🔹 Decide if you want to opt out
🔹 Respect others’ choices

The law also allows for non-directed altruistic donation, where you can donate a kidney to someone you don’t know, another new and life-saving option.

❤️ Let’s stay informed and support each other in making the right decision for ourselves and our families. 

More info will be shared in the comments.

有關器官捐贈 – 你需要知道嘅事！

由 2025年6月17日 開始，愛爾蘭一項新法將影響所有年滿 18歲或以上人士。

根據新嘅 《2024人體組織法案》，愛爾蘭將實行 「默認同意制」（soft opt-out）器官捐贈制度。意思係：

✅ 如果你年滿18歲，除非你選擇退出，否則會自動被視為同意死後捐贈器官。
❌ 如果你唔想捐贈器官，你必須登記退出，加入器官捐贈退出登記冊（Opt-Out Register）。
💬 醫生仍然會諮詢你家人意見，所以請務必同家人溝通清楚你嘅意願。

對我哋有咩咁重要？
器官捐贈可以挽救生命。作為粵語社群一份子，我哋要了解法律改變，確保自己文化背景同個人意願都受到尊重。

我哋鼓勵大家：
🔹 了解新法例
🔹 同家人長輩傾下
🔹 決定會否退出器官捐贈
🔹 尊重他人選擇

新法例亦首次容許 無特定對象嘅善意捐贈（non-directed altruistic donation），例如捐腎俾有需要但唔識嘅人。

📣 一齊關注、分享資訊、互相支持。做出最適合你同家人嘅選擇！

📎 更多資訊將會放喺留言區。

More information: https://www2.hse.ie/services/organ-donation-opt-out-register/about/