During our lifetime, we are 3 times more likely to benefit from an organ donation than to be a donor. Figures from the Agence de bio-médecine are revealing; 800 deaths were recorded in 2023 for lack of sufficient transplants. The lack of donations is partly explained by the increase in refusals expressed by patients' relatives.

Lille University Hospital is Franceʼs leading organ procurement center. This activity is managed by a specific department of the hospital whose action is relatively unknown even within health establishments. It is made up of care providers who are confronted with the distress of relatives, but who must nevertheless be a force of conviction to enable an eventual donation of organs or tissues when this is possible.
Through this report, we plunge into the lʼuniverse of the organ coordination and retrieval department at Lille University Hospital. The caregivers who work there face a constant struggle between urgent medical necessity and the grieving process.
By highlighting the crucial importance of donations in saving lives, this report seeks to break taboos and stimulate reflection on this ultimate gesture of solidarity, within a framework of respect and remembrance.


Durant notre vie, nous avons 3 fois plus de chances de bénéficier dʼun don dʼorganes que dʼêtre donneur. Les chiffres de l'Agence de bio-médecine sont révélateurs ; 800 décès ont été enregistrés en 2023 faute de greffons suffisants. Le manque de dons s’explique en partie par l’augmentation des refus exprimés par les proches des patients.
Le CHU de Lille est le premier centre préleveur dʼorganes en France. Cette activité est gérée par un service spécifique de l’hôpital dont lʼaction est relativement méconnue au sein même des établissements de santé. Il est constitué de soignants confrontés au désarroi des proches mais qui doivent être néanmoins force de conviction pour permettre un éventuel don dʼorganes ou de tissus lorsque celui-ci est possible.
A travers ce reportage, nous plongeons dans lʼunivers du service de coordination et de prélèvements d’organes au CHU de Lille. Les soignants qui y travaillent sont confrontés à une lutte constante entre la nécessité médicale urgente et le processus de deuil. 
En soulignant l'importance cruciale des dons pour sauver des vies, ce reportage cherche à briser les tabous et à stimuler une réflexion sur ce geste de solidarité ultime, dans le cadre du respect et du souvenir.

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France, Lille, 2024-4-19. The resuscitation and intensive care unit is preparing for organ harvesting from a brain dead patient. Photograph by Laurent Mayeux / Collectif DR.
France, Lille, 2024-4-19. Le service de réanimation et de soins intensifs se prép

France, Lille, 2024-4-19. The resuscitation and intensive care unit is preparing for organ harvesting from a brain dead patient. Photograph by Laurent Mayeux / Collectif DR. 

France, Lille, 2024-4-19. Le service de réanimation et de soins intensifs se prépare à un prelevement d’organes sur un patient en état de mort cérébrale. Photographie de Laurent Mayeux / Collectif DR.

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France, Lille, 2024-4-19. A preparatory meeting before surgical intervention is organized with the team of caregivers in charge of the sample. It happens that the operation fails despite all preliminary examinations. Photograph by Laurent Mayeux / Collect

France, Lille, 2024-4-19. A preparatory meeting before surgical intervention is organized with the team of caregivers in charge of the sample. It happens that the operation fails despite all preliminary examinations. Photograph by Laurent Mayeux / Collectif DR. 

France, Lille, 2024-4-19. Une reunion preparatoire avant intervention chirurgicale est organisee avec l’equipe de soignants en charge du prelevement. Il arrive que l’operation echoue malgre tous les examens préliminaires. Photographie de Laurent Mayeux / Collectif DR.

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France, Lille, 2024-4-19. The medical team in charge of the collection explains the progress of the collection operations to the relatives of the deceased. Photograph by Laurent Mayeux / Collectif DR.
France, Lille, 2024-4-19. L' équipe médicale en charge

France, Lille, 2024-4-19. The medical team in charge of the collection explains the progress of the collection operations to the relatives of the deceased. Photograph by Laurent Mayeux / Collectif DR. 

France, Lille, 2024-4-19. L' équipe médicale en charge du prélèvement expliquent le déroulement des opérations de prélèvement aux proches du défunt. Photographie de Laurent Mayeux / Collectif DR.

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France, Lille, 2024-4-19. The relatives of the deceased pay their respects one last time before the patient is taken to the operating room. Photograph by Laurent Mayeux / Collectif DR.
France, Lille, 2024-4-19. les proches du défunt se recueillent une der

France, Lille, 2024-4-19. The relatives of the deceased pay their respects one last time before the patient is taken to the operating room. Photograph by Laurent Mayeux / Collectif DR. 

France, Lille, 2024-4-19. les proches du défunt se recueillent une dernière fois avant que le patient ne soit emmené au bloc opératoire. Photographie de Laurent Mayeux / Collectif DR.

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France, Lille, 2024-4-19. The medical team who manages the harvest ensures that all preliminary examinations have been carried out on the patient in order to optimize the chances of success of future grafts. Photograph by Laurent Mayeux / Collectif DR.
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France, Lille, 2024-4-19. The medical team who manages the harvest ensures that all preliminary examinations have been carried out on the patient in order to optimize the chances of success of future grafts. Photograph by Laurent Mayeux / Collectif DR. 

France, Lille, 2024-4-19. L’equipe medicale qui pilote le prelevement s’assure que tous les examens preliminaires ont ete realise sur le patient afin d’optimiser les chances de succes des futurs greffons. Photographie de Laurent Mayeux / Collectif DR.

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France, Lille, 2024-4-19. The medical team who manages the harvest ensures that all preliminary examinations have been carried out on the patient in order to optimize the chances of success of future grafts. Photograph by Laurent Mayeux / Collectif DR.
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France, Lille, 2024-4-19. The medical team who manages the harvest ensures that all preliminary examinations have been carried out on the patient in order to optimize the chances of success of future grafts. Photograph by Laurent Mayeux / Collectif DR. 

France, Lille, 2024-4-19. L’equipe medicale qui pilote le prelevement s’assure que tous les examens preliminaires ont ete realise sur le patient afin d’optimiser les chances de succes des futurs greffons. Photographie de Laurent Mayeux / Collectif DR.

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France, Lille, 2024-4-19. Death must be formally certified by a doctor following a clinical examination carried out on the patient. Photograph by Laurent Mayeux / Collectif DR.
France, Lille, 2024-4-19. Le deces doit etre formellement constate par un méde

France, Lille, 2024-4-19. Death must be formally certified by a doctor following a clinical examination carried out on the patient. Photograph by Laurent Mayeux / Collectif DR. 

France, Lille, 2024-4-19. Le deces doit etre formellement constate par un médecin suite a un examen clinique effectue sur le patient. Photographie de Laurent Mayeux / Collectif DR.

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France, Lille, 2022-10-17. The body of the brain-dead patient is prepared for the operating room before surgery. Photograph by Laurent Mayeux / Collectif DR
France, Lille, 2022-10-17. Le corps du patient en état de mort cérébrale est préparé au bloc avant

France, Lille, 2022-10-17. The body of the brain-dead patient is prepared for the operating room before surgery. Photograph by Laurent Mayeux / Collectif DR 

France, Lille, 2022-10-17. Le corps du patient en état de mort cérébrale est préparé au bloc avant l’intervention chirurgicale. Photographie de Laurent Mayeux / Collectif DR

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France, Lille, 2022-10-17. The surgical teams follow one another in a precise order and timing to carry out their organ harvest. Photograph by Laurent Mayeux / Collectif DR
France, Lille, 2022-10-17. Les équipes chirurgicales se succèdent dans un ordre et

France, Lille, 2022-10-17. The surgical teams follow one another in a precise order and timing to carry out their organ harvest. Photograph by Laurent Mayeux / Collectif DR 

France, Lille, 2022-10-17. Les équipes chirurgicales se succèdent dans un ordre et un timing précis pour effectuer leur prélèvement d’organe. Photographie de Laurent Mayeux / Collectif DR

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France, Lille, 2022-10-18. Organ harvesting in the operating room is often an opportunity for medical interns to deepen their knowledge of anatomy. Photograph by Laurent Mayeux / Collectif DR
France, Lille, 2022-10-18. Les prelevement d’organes au bloc op

France, Lille, 2022-10-18. Organ harvesting in the operating room is often an opportunity for medical interns to deepen their knowledge of anatomy. Photograph by Laurent Mayeux / Collectif DR 

France, Lille, 2022-10-18. Les prelevement d’organes au bloc operatoire sont souvent une occasion pour les internes en medecine d’approfondir leurs connaissances en anatomie. Photographie de Laurent Mayeux / Collectif DR

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France, Lille, 2022-10-18. Although the patient is brain dead, a nurse anesthetist is present in the operating room to keep the patient on a respirator to guarantee a quality graft. Photograph by Laurent Mayeux / Collectif DR
France, Lille, 2022-10-18. Bi

France, Lille, 2022-10-18. Although the patient is brain dead, a nurse anesthetist is present in the operating room to keep the patient on a respirator to guarantee a quality graft. Photograph by Laurent Mayeux / Collectif DR 

France, Lille, 2022-10-18. Bien que le patient soit en etat de mort cerebrale, un infirmier anesthesiste est present au bloc operatoire pour maintenir le patient sous respirateur afin de garantir un greffon de qualite. Photographie de Laurent Mayeux / Collectif DR

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France, Lille, 2022-10-18. Once the heart has been removed, it is stored in a specific container allowing its transport for a maximum of 4 hours. Photograph by Laurent Mayeux / Collectif DR
France, Lille, 2022-10-18. Le coeur une fois preleve est stocke d

France, Lille, 2022-10-18. Once the heart has been removed, it is stored in a specific container allowing its transport for a maximum of 4 hours. Photograph by Laurent Mayeux / Collectif DR 

France, Lille, 2022-10-18. Le coeur une fois preleve est stocke dans un contenant spécifique permettant son transport durant 4h maximum. Photographie de Laurent Mayeux / Collectif DR

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France, Lille, 2022-10-18. The coordinating nurse contacts the organ procurement management center in France as the surgical procedure progresses. Photograph by Laurent Mayeux / Collectif DR
France, Lille, 2022-10-18. L’infirmiere coordinatrice contacte l

France, Lille, 2022-10-18. The coordinating nurse contacts the organ procurement management center in France as the surgical procedure progresses. Photograph by Laurent Mayeux / Collectif DR 

France, Lille, 2022-10-18. L’infirmiere coordinatrice contacte le centre de gestion des prelevements d’organes en France au fur et a mesure de l’intervention chirurgicale. Photographie de Laurent Mayeux / Collectif DR

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France, Lille, 2024-03-15. The organ procurement coordination service within the hospital guarantees that the wishes of the deceased's loved ones are respected. It is the morgue which is responsible for preparing and dressing the deceased before they are

France, Lille, 2024-03-15. The organ procurement coordination service within the hospital guarantees that the wishes of the deceased's loved ones are respected. It is the morgue which is responsible for preparing and dressing the deceased before they are handed over to the family. Photograph by Laurent Mayeux / Collectif DR 

France, Lille, 2024-03-15. Le service de coordination des prelevement d’organes au sein de l’hopital est garant du respect des volontes des proches du defunt. C’est la morgue qui se charge de preparer et d’habiller le défunt avant qu’il ne soit remis à la famille. Photographie de Laurent Mayeux / Collectif DR

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France, Lille, 2024-03-15. The body of the deceased is washed and dressed before being transferred to the morgue to be handed over to relatives. The body is returned intact to the relatives. Photograph by Laurent Mayeux / Collectif DR
France, Lille, 2024-

France, Lille, 2024-03-15. The body of the deceased is washed and dressed before being transferred to the morgue to be handed over to relatives. The body is returned intact to the relatives. Photograph by Laurent Mayeux / Collectif DR 

France, Lille, 2024-03-15. Le corps du défunt est lavé et habillé avant d’être transféré à la morgue pour etre remis aux proches. Le corps est rendu intact aux proches. Photographie de Laurent Mayeux / Collectif DR

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France, Lille, 2024-03-15. The body of the deceased is washed and dressed before being transferred to the morgue to be handed over to relatives. The body is returned intact to the relatives. Photograph by Laurent Mayeux / Collectif DR
France, Lille, 2024-

France, Lille, 2024-03-15. The body of the deceased is washed and dressed before being transferred to the morgue to be handed over to relatives. The body is returned intact to the relatives. Photograph by Laurent Mayeux / Collectif DR 

France, Lille, 2024-03-15. Le corps du défunt est lavé et habillé avant d’être transféré à la morgue pour etre remis aux proches. Le corps est rendu intact aux proches. Photographie de Laurent Mayeux / Collectif DR

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France, Lille, 2024-03-15. The body of the deceased is washed and dressed before being transferred to the morgue to be handed over to relatives. The body is returned intact to the relatives. Photograph by Laurent Mayeux / Collectif DR
France, Lille, 2024-

France, Lille, 2024-03-15. The body of the deceased is washed and dressed before being transferred to the morgue to be handed over to relatives. The body is returned intact to the relatives. Photograph by Laurent Mayeux / Collectif DR 

France, Lille, 2024-03-15. Le corps du défunt est lavé et habillé avant d’être transféré à la morgue pour etre remis aux proches. Le corps est rendu intact aux proches. Photographie de Laurent Mayeux / Collectif DR

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France, Lille, 2024-03-15. The body of the deceased is returned to the morgue once the organ harvesting has been carried out in the operating room. The organ harvesting coordination team guarantees respect for the body of the deceased. All traces of the s

France, Lille, 2024-03-15. The body of the deceased is returned to the morgue once the organ harvesting has been carried out in the operating room. The organ harvesting coordination team guarantees respect for the body of the deceased. All traces of the surgical procedure should not be visible to loved ones. Photograph by Laurent Mayeux / Collectif DR 

France, Lille, 2024-03-15. Le corps du defunt est remis à la morgue une fois les prelevements d’organes effectues au bloc. L’equipe de coordination des prelevements d’organes est garante du respect du corps du defunt. Toutes les traces de l’intervention chirurgicale ne doivent pas etre visibles pour les proches. Photographie de Laurent Mayeux / Collectif DR

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France, Lille, 2024-03-15. The nurses who coordinated and monitored the surgical procedure for organ harvesting make a final visit to the donor before the body is returned to the morgue. It’s a way for them to “thank” him for his gesture. They do it syste

France, Lille, 2024-03-15. The nurses who coordinated and monitored the surgical procedure for organ harvesting make a final visit to the donor before the body is returned to the morgue. It’s a way for them to “thank” him for his gesture. They do it systematically. Photograph by Laurent Mayeux / Collectif DR 

France, Lille, 2024-03-15. Les infirmieres ayant coordonne et suivi l’intervention chirurgicale pour le prelevement d’organes se recueillent une dernière fois aupres du donneur avant que le corps ne soit remis a la morgue. C’est une façon pour elles de le « remercier » pour son geste. Elles le font systematiquement. Photographie de Laurent Mayeux / Collectif DR

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France, Lille, 2024-5-07. Anita, nurse coordinator, leads an organ donation awareness conference for school nurses. Photograph by Laurent Mayeux / Collectif DR.
France, Lille, 2024-5-07. Anita, infirmiere coordinatrice anime une conference de sensibilisat

France, Lille, 2024-5-07. Anita, nurse coordinator, leads an organ donation awareness conference for school nurses. Photograph by Laurent Mayeux / Collectif DR. 

France, Lille, 2024-5-07. Anita, infirmiere coordinatrice anime une conference de sensibilisation au don d’organes aupres d’infirmiers et d’infirmieres en ecole. Photographie de Laurent Mayeux / Collectif DR.

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France, Lille, 2024-5-07. Conferences and awareness-raising operations are provided to the general public, such as the National Transplant and Dialysis Games which took place in Dunkirk this year. Photograph by Laurent Mayeux / Collectif DR.
France, Lille

France, Lille, 2024-5-07. Conferences and awareness-raising operations are provided to the general public, such as the National Transplant and Dialysis Games which took place in Dunkirk this year. Photograph by Laurent Mayeux / Collectif DR. 

France, Lille, 2024-5-07. Des conférences et operations de sensibilisation sont assurees aupres du grand public comme les Jeux Nationaux des Transplantes et Dialyses qui se sont deroules à Dunkerque cette annee. Photographie de Laurent Mayeux / Collectif DR.

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France, Saint Floris, 2024-5-23. Portrait of Jannick, mother of Clement who died in August 2016. Jannick accepted organ harvesting from her son. Photograph by Laurent Mayeux / Collectif DR.
France, Saint Floris, 2024-5-23. Portrait de Jannick, mere de Cle

France, Saint Floris, 2024-5-23. Portrait of Jannick, mother of Clement who died in August 2016. Jannick accepted organ harvesting from her son. Photograph by Laurent Mayeux / Collectif DR. 

France, Saint Floris, 2024-5-23. Portrait de Jannick, mere de Clement decede en aout 2016. Jannick a accepte le prelevement d’organes sur son fils. Photographie de Laurent Mayeux / Collectif DR. Photographie de Laurent MAYEUX / Collectif DR.

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France, Lille, 2024-5-07. Recipients of transplants have the possibility of writing to the medical organ procurement team who redirects letters to the donors' relatives while maintaining strict confidentiality of identities. Photograph by Laurent Mayeux /

France, Lille, 2024-5-07. Recipients of transplants have the possibility of writing to the medical organ procurement team who redirects letters to the donors' relatives while maintaining strict confidentiality of identities. Photograph by Laurent Mayeux / Collectif DR. 

France, Lille, 2024-5-07. Les beneficiaires de greffons ont la possibilite d’ecrire à l’equipe medicale de prelevement d’organes qui redirige les courriers aux proches des donneurs en preservant une stricte confidentialite des identites. Photographie de Laurent Mayeux / Collectif DR.

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France, Lille, 2024-7-16. Portrait of Marie, nurse at the organ donation department in Lille Hospital Photograph by Laurent Mayeux / Collectif DR.
France, Lille, 2024-7-16. Portrait de Marie, infirmiere coordinatrice au service de la coordination prelevem

France, Lille, 2024-7-16. Portrait of Marie, nurse at the organ donation department in Lille Hospital Photograph by Laurent Mayeux / Collectif DR. 

France, Lille, 2024-7-16. Portrait de Marie, infirmiere coordinatrice au service de la coordination prelevement d'organes au CHU de Lille. Photographie de Laurent Mayeux / Collectif DR.

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France, Lille, 2024-7-16. Portrait of Guillaume, anesthesiologist at the organ donation department in Lille Hospital. Guillaume is also the manager in this department. Photograph by Laurent Mayeux / Collectif DR.
France, Lille, 2024-7-16. Portrait de Guil

France, Lille, 2024-7-16. Portrait of Guillaume, anesthesiologist at the organ donation department in Lille Hospital. Guillaume is also the manager in this department. Photograph by Laurent Mayeux / Collectif DR. 

France, Lille, 2024-7-16. Portrait de Guillaume, medecin anesthesiste et chef du service de coordination des prelevements d'organes au CHU de Lille. Photographie de Laurent Mayeux / Collectif DR.

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