Organ transplantation is a vital treatment for which hundreds of people throughout Ireland are on waiting lists. Worldwide, there is a sizable gap between the number of patients requiring organ transplants and the number of donor organs. From 2006-2008 members of the NUI Galway Slainte Society conducted a survey as part of their annual organ donation promotion, to assess attitudes towards organ donation and donor card carrying rates among university students. The study, lead by medical students Gerard Healy and Kapil Sharma was carried out in conjunction with the Galway branch of the Irish Kidney Association. Of the 1103 students surveyed over the three year period, 34.6% currently carried organ donor consent cards. However the majority of respondents were favourably disposed towards donation, with only 9% decidedly against it. When asked about consent for organ donation, the majority were in favour keeping the current "opt-in" consent methodology rather than changing to a presumed consent system, where it would be assumed individuals wanted to donate unless they had previously specifically recorded that they were against it. These findings show an overall favourable opinion towards donation among Irish university students however since the majority do not carry cards, and the majority do not want to a presumed consent system, this may result in few actual donations. The full results of this survey appear in the October 2009 issue of the Irish Medical Journal.

The Slainte Society annual organ donation awareness week aims to promote the carrying of organ donor cards and raise awareness of issues related to organ donation among the students in the university. The annual promotions mobilise volunteer students from all faculties across the university co-ordinated by members of the society itself. Many of the volunteers have first-hand experience of organ donation, through friends or family members who have received or are waiting for donations. The meeting of people who were passionate about the same issue each year is hugely beneficial to the volunteers and we share our joint passion with everyone we meet during these events.

With the help of the people who graciously volunteer their time and the people who patiently filled out the survey, it is hoped that students will be more likely to pick up a donor card and talk openly about donation.