Andorra's ATIDA Celebrates 10 Years of Transplant Advocacy and Milestones

Andorra's Transplant and Donor Association (ATIDA) celebrated its tenth anniversary on Tuesday evening at the auditorium of La Llacuna Cultural Centre in Andorra la Vella, reviewing a decade of progress and reiterating goals for multi-tissue donations in 2026 and organ extractions in 2027.

Around 20 people attended the event, which featured reflections from leaders on ATIDA's origins in 2016, when six individuals with transplant experiences formed the group amid no supporting legislation or public knowledge of organ donation. Founding president Núria Gras recalled initial efforts to assist patients and raise awareness, including gathering over 800 signatures at the Andorra la Vella fair. Those signatures proved pivotal in prompting the near-unanimous approval of the transplant law in December 2018, though rollout faced pandemic setbacks.

Secretary Maria Jesús Martínez, who led the session, pointed to ongoing hurdles like official recognition of organic disability for transplant recipients. She confirmed timelines remain intact, with multi-tissue donations slated for 2026 and organs the following year. Vice-president Jaume Boneta emphasised the association's support for 43 individuals, providing practical and emotional aid through transplants. He described Andorra as a solidary nation receptive to donation and invited anyone needing to share stories over coffee.

Key milestones include the 2021 bone marrow programme, now listing 720 registrants with one transplant completed and another underway. The cornea programme, launched this year, has delivered six transplants from 17 viable donations in its first ten months. ATIDA disclosed that roughly 10 Andorrans currently await transplants, akin to the yearly number treated abroad.

The gathering included patient stories, expert contributions and an appeal to discuss donation preferences within families to bolster the system. Leaders voiced optimism about achieving transplant self-sufficiency.