A guest blog from Canadian Blood Services
Canada is set to become one of the first countries, together with Northern Ireland, to introduce ‘Orgtober‘ to school calendars in 2024 – leading the way in helping kids and families learn about their organs, their health, and how kindness truly counts.
Orgtober, formerly known as October, will be sweeping into primary school classrooms and calendars across the country. While the normal education curriculum will not be affected, this supplementary campaign seeks to breathe new life into organ education. Initiated by the Orgamites, the only global organ donation awareness programme of its kind, Orgtober’s mission is this: to make kids everywhere more aware of their amazing organs, then get more families talking about organ donation while having loads of fun while doing this, and thereby, equipping and enabling families to make decisions about organ donation that are right for them… which will ultimately save countless more lives.
The program also celebrates the fundamental values that underpin organ donation, kindness, compassion and inclusivity.
Through a range of free, fun, and interactive educational toolkits and other resources that kids can take home, students learn all about their organs, as well as why and how to take better care of their bodies, and why and how kindness really counts.
“While the Orgamites’ range of toolkits have already become much-loved parts of thousands of students’ classrooms here in Canada, Greece and the UK, the launch of Orgtober is a first for the Canadian Blood Services, one in which Canada will be leading the way: showing schools, organizations and individuals everywhere how it’s done,” says Orgamites founder, Roydon Turner.
“Together, we hope to raise much-needed awareness that will ultimately raise the numbers of lives saves – both here in Canada, and globally.”
Below, Roydon answers some of the big questions that might arise:
Why is this a critical issue to highlight?
The primary reason given for declining donations is families not knowing what their loved one would have wanted. One conversation can change all that. But raising these kinds of conversations is easier said than done – that’s where Orgtober comes in!”
Why talk to kids?
Education is key to addressing young people’s concerns about organ and tissue donation. It can help them feel empowered to talk about donation with their families and equip them to make informed choices in the future. Teach it. Learn it. Talk about it. It’s vitally important…
By having more open conversations about our mighty organs, the health of them and acts of kindness, we hope to get a lot more families talking about organ donation and sharing their choices with their loved ones – long before they ever need to.
What is Orgtober in a nutshell?
Orgtober, formerly known as October, is now ‘Organ Donation Education Month’– a full month dedicated to promoting organ donation education among students, teachers, and families across the world (starting in Northern Ireland and Canada). By highlighting the importance of organ donation and encouraging more people to consider registering as organ donors, we hope to create a worldwide movement that will impact generations to come and save countless lives too.
For educational resources and more, visit Orgamites.ca
Partner with us, contact otdt@blood.ca
#MightyOrgamites #Orgamites #OrganDonation #CanadianBloodServices
About the Orgamites in Canada:
Canadian Blood Services is proud to partner with All Good Co. to bring the Orgamites to Canada, on behalf of Canada’s organ and tissue donation community. Age-appropriate, accessible education is a critical component of an organ donation and transplant system that truly serves Canadian patients. Thank you, teachers, families and students who engage in this courageous topic and contribute to the spread of knowledge and understanding about the powerful impact of organ donation. We sincerely acknowledge the generosity of organ and tissue donors, and their families and loved ones, who give so selflessly to provide hope to transplant candidates across the country.
