Know the facts when considering organ donation
Every 11 minutes someone is added to the medical organ transplant waiting list. More than 102,000 people, enough to populate a small city, are waiting for an organ donation in the United States. Eight hundred South Carolinians are awaiting an organ transplant with approximately 90 percent needing a kidney.
Unfortunately, thousands of people never get a second chance at life by receiving a suitable donor organ. Being an organ donor is one of the most generous decisions that anyone could ever make and it is a life saver.
Organ and tissue donation is the process of receiving organs and tissues from a deceased person and transplanting them in others in order to save or enhance the lives of those in need. It may be hard for you to believe that one organ donor can save up to eight lives and another 50 lives may be improved through their tissue donation.
The most commonly transplanted organs are the kidney, liver, heart, lungs, pancreas, and small intestines. Tissue donation includes veins used in cardiac by-pass, skin for repair and reconstruction, tendons to repair torn ligaments, corneas to restore sight to the blind and heart valves which are particularly life-saving for babies and small children because of the limited number of pediatric hearts available for transplant.
Many patients who are organ donors may also be candidates for tissue donation following their organ recovery. In 2009, South Carolina had 132 organ donors, 419 tissue donors, 744 ocular donors and 394 organs transplanted.
Knowing the facts can make you feel better about your choice. Here are the answers to some of the most common questions about organ donation.
Who can be an organ donor?
Anyone, regardless of age can be considered a potential organ donor. There is no cut off age. Organs have been successfully transplanted from donors as young as a few days to adults in their 90’s. If a patient has a normal functioning organ and is in good health, then organ donation is certainly an option.
Will having certain diseases affect donation?
Very few medical conditions automatically disqualify you from donating organs. Strict medical criteria are used to determine if an organ can be used. Don’t disqualify yourself! Only medical professionals can determine whether you are a suitable donor at the time of your death.
If I am a donor, would the hospital give me good medical care?
Yes, the doctor’s who treat a patient at the time of death are in no way involved with those responsible for organ removal. Organ donation is considered only after every effort has been made to save your life.
How successful are organ transplants?
Success rates for vital organs average 80-90 percent, and over 90 percent for various types of tissue transplants.
Will my family have to pay for donation?
There is no charge to the donor family. All hospital cost related the organ recovery are paid for by the Organ Procurement Organization. The family is charged for the cost of all final efforts to save your life.
Do rich and famous people go to the top of the list when they need a donor organ?
Rich and famous people are not given priority and are treated no differently from anyone else. All celebrity transplants are subject to an internal audit by the United Network for Organ Sharing (UNOS) to make sure that the organ allocation was appropriate.
Are organ donations against my religion?
Organ donation is consistent with the beliefs of most religions. If you are unsure or uncomfortable you can check the federal website: OrganDonor.gov which provides views on organ donation by denomination.
Are minorities at higher risk for needing organ donation?
It is especially important to consider becoming an organ donor if you belong to an ethnic minority including African Americans, Asians and Pacific Islanders, Native Americans and Hispanics. Minorities are more likely to have certain chronic conditions that may subsequently result in need for transplantation. Because a matching blood type is necessary for transplants the need for minority donor organs is especially high.
If I am a donor, will I be able to have an open-casket funeral?
Organ donation does not disfigure the body or delay funeral arrangements. The donor body is clothed for burial and there are no visible signs of organ or tissue donation.
Unfortunately, there are currently not enough organs donated by deceased donors to meet all of the needs of patients awaiting organ transplants. It is now possible for a living person to donate a kidney, a portion of their liver, a portion of a lung and in some rare instances a portion of their pancreas.
The South Carolina Donor registry allows South Carolina residents who are at least 18 years of age to register for donations of all or specific organs and tissues upon their death. If you are between the ages of 13 and 17, you can still join the South Carolina Donor Registry with parental or guardian permission. Life Point is the designated Organ Procurement Organization in South Carolina. You may register to be an organ and tissue donor by email at www.donatelifesc.org, at the Department of Motor Vehicles or you can sign and carry a donor card that is available from OrganDonor.gov.
It is important to tell your family that you want to be a donor. Hospitals seek consent from next of kin before removing organs, although this is usually not required if you are registered with your states donor registry. As a condition of participation for Medicare and Medicaid services, hospitals are required to establish an agreement and notify an Organ Procurement Organization (OPO) in a timely fashion of all individuals whose death is imminent or who had died in the hospital. Clarendon Memorial Hospital has done a great job of notifying Life Point who will then contact families for permission to harvest if appropriate.
Everyday about 77 people receive organ transplants. However 19 people die each day waiting for transplants that can’t take place because of the shortage of donated organs. By being an organ donor, you can make a difference in many lives.
This is Dr. Beryl Bachus-Keith encouraging you to consider organ donation and remember: prevention is the key to good health and wellness, so make a vow and commit to good health. “An ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure.”
