Initiatives toward increasing organ donation through school education in Ibaraki Prefecture.

Abstract

In Ibaraki Prefecture, the number of brain-deaths or cardiac-death donors has been low, 1-3 cases/year, which is below the average of the all prefectures in Japan. Besides innovations in the medical systems, public inspiration to facilitate organ donation, especially to the population which has no interest, is vital in order to increase basic donation rates. From 2008, Ibaraki Kidney Foundation (IKF) has been providing a lecture called, “The Lecture of Life” to adolescents to educate them about organ donations. It is targeted to students from elementary to high school in the prefecture, and the contents of lectures are adjusted to their understanding based on age. The main purpose of this lecture is to provide opportunity to encourage students to discuss about “organ donation” and “death” with their family and friends, and make them understand the preciousness of life, which could connect to declarations of their wills for organ donations. From a research by the IKF, it was indicated that students who took this lecture felt the preciousness of life stronger and became more passionate towards organ donations. In addition, it could inspire organ donations from their parents who had no interests. Over the past 11 years, IKF has been providing the lecture to over 14,000 students. Through this lecture, the students could become future donors, and their parents to be the current donors by the inspiration received from their children. It was found that the declaration of the will for organ donations amongst the public in Ibaraki Prefecture in 2015 was higher than the average of other prefectures. Furthermore, along with innovations in medical systems, the donation rate has dramatically increased in 2019. The IKF plans to continue to provide this lecture to the students and the public as initiatives to promote organ donations.