Credit: Kangkan Halder

Luxembourg Transplant, the organisation managing organ donations and transplants in Luxembourg, in collaboration with the Ministry of Health, has announced the thirteenth edition of "Spinning Marathon" to raise awareness, taking place on Sunday 9 October 2022 from 10:00 to 18:30 at the Luxexpo The Box.

The World Organ Donor Day is celebrated annually on 17 October. On this occasion, the Ministry of Health recalls that in the event of death, anyone can save lives by donating their organs. Minister of Health, Paulette Lenert, said: "Organ donation saves lives, it is an act of solidarity and as the Ministry of Health it is our duty to raise awareness of the procedures in place so that organ donation can be done legitimately."

Organ donation in Luxembourg

In Luxembourg, any deceased person is potentially considered an organ donor. Subscription to the life passport ("passeport de vie"), the Luxembourg organ donor card, facilitates the work of doctors and prevents the family from making difficult decisions.

Where can one obtain an organ donor card?

The life passport organ donor card is free and can be obtained at the following locations:

  • pharmacies,
  • doctors' offices,
  • municipal authorities,
  • at the Guichet.lu reception desk,
  • at the Ministry of Health,
  • at Luxtransplant.

The card can also be ordered online at www.sante.lu.

Organ donation in Luxembourg during the COVID-19 pandemic

A reduction in organ procurement and transplantation activities has been observed worldwide during the COVID-19 pandemic.

In 2021, there were only two multi-organ removals and three other donations in Luxembourg. Thus, only five organs from Luxembourg could be successfully transplanted by the centres of the Eurotransplant network (European network for the management of organ removals and transplantations). 90 patients (nine more compared to 2020) were on the pre-transplantation list awaiting transplantation in a centre abroad. 26 new patients were added to the list during the year and three patients added to the list died during the past year. 32 residents were transplanted in overseas centres in 2021.

Further information on the awareness event is available on www.luxtransplant.lu.