Death and organ donation: Meeting the needs of multiethnic and multifaith populations

Editor’s key points † Brain-stem death as currently defined remains incompatible with the beliefs of some orthodox Catholics and Jews. † No religious faiths object completely to the principle of organ donation, although there is a divergence of opinion within Islam. † Staff requesting organ donation must be familiar with different religious and cultural views regarding death and burial or cremation. Summary. Deceased donation in the UK relies upon family consent. Approaching a family at the tragic time of a loved one’s death requires significant emotional resilience from staff. The UK is comprised of individuals who have a number of life and death values which are, to some extent, based upon their faith, culture, and ethnicity. This paper seeks to provide an overview of some of key issues relating to death, death rituals, faith, and how these may impact upon organ donation. This should be of benefit to staff dealing closely with recently bereaved families and who will be requesting organ donation from them