Imagine a single act that can save up to nine lives. That is the power of organ donation. Yet in Cyprus, many people are unaware that unless they make their wishes clear, their loved ones will have to face the agonizing question of whether to donate their organs after death.

But it does not have to be this way. By registering as an organ donor today, you can make your decision official — and spare your family from making it for you in their moment of grief.

• More than 1,000 patients in Cyprus currently suffer from severe organ failure (kidney, heart, liver, lung) and wait for a transplant that could transform or even save their lives.

• Only about 25 people per year die in conditions suitable for organ donation in Cyprus, making every potential donor precious.

• A single donor can save or improve the lives of up to nine people by donating organs like the kidneys, heart, lungs, liver, pancreas, and intestines.

Despite this enormous impact, Cyprus has one of the lowest rates of post-mortem donations in Europe, even though living kidney donation ranks among the highest. That means many patients continue to wait — or travel abroad — for lifesaving transplants.

• Donation is voluntary and cannot involve any form of payment or reward — it is a humanitarian act of solidarity.

• After death, if a person has registered their wish to donate in the National Registry of Potential Organ Donors, that wish is binding and cannot be overturned by their relatives.

• If no wish is declared, relatives are asked to consent on behalf of the deceased, a process that can be incredibly painful in the shock of sudden loss.

• Anyone over 18 can register as a donor and specify which organs they agree to donate, or even opt to donate their entire body for research.

1. Download and complete the form.

2. Indicate if you wish to donate all organs, only specific organs, or if you wish to donate your body for research.

3. Submit it by:

   • Email to [email protected],

   • or by mail to the National Registry at the General Hospital of Nicosia, Old Nicosia–Limassol Road, 215, 2029 Strovolos, Nicosia.

4. You can also find an online option on the Cyprus Ministry of Health website.

You will receive a confirmation letter once registered. Importantly, you can change your mind at any time.

Myth 1: Doctors won’t try as hard to save me if I’m a donor.

Fact: Medical teams will do everything possible to save your life. Only after independent confirmation of death, by doctors not involved in transplantation, is donation even considered.

Myth 2: My body will be disfigured.

Fact: Organs are removed with great care and respect, without disfiguring the body. Funeral arrangements are not affected.

Myth 3: My religion is against donation.

Fact: The majority of religions, including the Orthodox Church, view organ donation as an act of love and charity.

Signing up as a donor takes minutes, but it can mean a lifetime for someone else. In Cyprus, making your wishes clear today spares your family from a devastating decision and ensures that you, and only you, decide how to leave a legacy of life.

For more information, contact

• National Transplant Council of Cyprus: 22603492

• Email: [email protected]