THE GIFT OF LIFE Questions and answers

There are 1,321 patients In Northeast Ohio waiting for organs, including 864 for kidneys; 110, heart; 186, liver; 38, lung; 44, pancreas; 78, kidney-pancreas; 1, heart-lung. A single donor can provide organs and tissue to more than 50 people. Permission from family or next of kin must be obtained at the time of death before a person can become a donor. Here are frequently asked questions:
Q. Who can become a donor?
A. All individuals can indicate their intent to donate. Medical suitability for donation is determined at the time of death.
Q. What are the age limits for donors?
A. The age limit for donation is constantly changing. Today anyone who is 80 years or younger will be considered for organ/tissue donation.
Q. What organs and tissue can I donate?
A. Organs: heart, liver, lungs, kidneys, pancreas and intestines. Tissues: Eyes (corneas), skin, bones, heart valves, veins and connective tissue.
Q. Does the cause of death affect what can be donated?
A. Yes. If death occurs from head injury resulting in brain-death, there is a good chance that any organ or tissue can be donated. If heart death occurs, donation may be limited to tissue and eyes.
Q. What does brain death mean?
A. There are two ways people die. One is called cardiopulmonary death, when breathing and heart beating stop. The other is brain death. Brain death is a formal and legal definition of death. It occurs when the flow of blood to the brain is stopped permanently due to a severe attack, injury or tumor. This results in the ceasing of brain function and cannot be reversed.
Q. Does signing a donor card ensure my organs and tissue will be donated when I die?
A. Signing a donor card or indicating your desire to donate on your driver's license or any legal document will help validate your decision. Your legal next-of-kin must give consent for any donation to occur.
Q. Will my decision to become a donor affect the quality of my medical care? If I am hospitalized, will my life be cut short to save someone else?
A. No. The quality of medical and nursing care will not change regardless of your decision. Organ and tissue recovery takes place only after all efforts to save your life have been exhausted and death has been legally declared.
Q. Will donation alter funeral arrangements?
A. No. Choosing to be an organ and/or tissue donor does not alter funeral arrangements. Cultural and individual practices can be followed, including open-casket viewing.
Q. What are the religious beliefs about donation?
A. All major religions -- Roman Catholicism, Protestantism, Judaism, Hinduism, Islam, Buddhism -- favor organ donation as an expression of the highest humanitarian ideals. The gift of life philosophy is consistent with the principles of the most religious and ethical systems. If you have a specific question, you may wish to consult your own faith adviser.
Q. How is it determined who
Will receive the donated organs?
A. Through a national computerized waiting list, patients are matched to organs based on blood and tissue typing, medical urgency, time on the waiting list and geographic location. Factors such as race, gender, age, income or celebrity status are not considered when determining who receives an organ.
Q. Can I sell my organs?
A. No. The National Organ Transplant Act makes it a federal crime to buy or sell organs. (Public Law 98-507)
Q. Can I specify who is to receive a particular organ?
A. No. The selection is based on medical criteria taking into account the necessity of carefully matching a donor with a recipient and giving priority to the most urgent cases.
Q. Are all recovered organs used for transplantation?
A. No. There are occasions when a donated organ is not suitable for transplantation. For example, tests done on an organ may indicate it will not function well in the transplant recipient. Organs that cannot be transplanted often can aid in medical research, with permission from the family.
Q. How do donor families feel about organ and tissue donation?
A. Many families consider donation as a way of creating something positive from a tragic event.
Q. Will my family be told the identity of the recipients of donated organs?
A. The identity of the individuals receiving the donation remains confidential. The donor's identity, in turn, is not revealed to them. A letter confirming the transplants are done, with anonymous personal history of each recipient, is sent to the donor family.
Q. Do transplants really work?
A. Yes. Transplantation is a standard medical procedure, and survival rates are extremely good. The one-year survival rate for kidney recipients is almost 96 percent; for heart recipients, more than 82 percent; and for liver recipients, more than 77 percent.
Q. How do I share my decision to donate with my family?
A. First, explain why it is important to you. Second, tell them how one person can help and potentially save the lives of more than 50 other people. Third, make sure they know they will be asked for permission at the time of your death. Fourth, have your family witness your decision. If you have already signed a donor card or indicated your wishes on your driver's license, show it to them. If not, have them sign your donor card as your witnesses.
Source: LifeBanc