Organ Donation: Facts and Considerations

When you have a loved one who is on life support or in critical condition in the hospital, the subject of organ donation may come up at some point. When this question is addressed, it is important to understand that the person who brings up the donation understands that this is a difficult time for you, but with organ donation, time is of the essence and there isn't really a good time to bring up the subject. It may be difficult to make an informed decision because of your emotions. It is important to know exactly how the organs of your loved ones can help others.

Facts About Organ Donation

You can donate your loved one's internal organs, skin, corneas and/or bone marrow. Medline Plus notes that the organs from a single donor can help up to 50 people.

Donation Following Brain Death

In the case of brain death, the donor must be legally brain dead, which can often mean having to keep the donor on life support for up to three days. The donor is kept on life support until the organs are harvested and then the donor is disconnected.

Donation Following Cardiac Death

For cardiac deaths, the donor can only donate certain internal organs if they are harvested shortly after death; however, corneas, bones, skin and heart valves can usually be harvested within the first 24 hours following the death.

Religious Concerns

Most religions consider organ donation acceptable, notes The Gift of a Lifetime. For example, most people think Jehovah's Witnesses are against organ donations; however, as long as all the blood is removed from the organs and/or tissues, organ donation is acceptable. Catholics and Baptists view organ donation as acts of charity and love since it helps another human and is a selfless act.

Cost

There isn't any cost for the donor or donor family associated with the organ donation. In most cases, a foundation or insurance cover the cost; however, the recipient family may be required to cover some of the costs.

Donor's Wishes

Unless you had a conversation about organ donation with the donor before he entered the hospital, you likely won't have a sure answer about whether or not the person wanted to be an organ donor. In this case, you should think about what the person would want to do. Some people don't believe in organ donation at all. If you have any doubt about the person's preferences, talk to other people who knew him well.

Insight

When we made the decision to donate our infant son's organs, we were concerned about having an open casket. The MidSouth Transplant Foundation worked with us to ensure that we were comfortable with the entire donation process. We opted to allow them to harvest only his internal organs. We refused the cornea, bone and skin donations. This request was fully honored.

Additionally, there is a waiting period between the organ donation and when you can have contact with the recipient families. Even once the waiting is over, you may not hear directly from the recipient families. In our case, we were updated by a representative from the foundation until we heard from a recipient family 11 years after the donation.

Conclusion

While you don't have a lot of time to make your decision, you can make an informed decision. Be honest and upfront with the representative you speak to about the donation process. Ask any questions you have and don't be afraid to make special requests or conditions during the donation process.

Sources

http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/organdonation.html
http://www.organtransplants.org/understanding/religion/