This information was prepared and written by Debbie Sprague
University of Phoenix,
GEN-480
April 9, 2009 |
The objective of this paper is to review the positive things that come from being an organ donor, and to hopefully remove any misgivings people have about this selfless act. This paper will answer some of the most common questions and concerns one might have about being an organ donor, and will hopefully remove any doubts that skeptics have. This paper is about the act of giving life.
Having to wait for something you really want can be very frustrating, but having to wait for something you need to sustain life can be unbearable. In 1997, my sister, then only 38 years of age, found out she needed a new liver. She was also given the grim news her condition was serious enough that she would have “at best” 3 years to live if she didn’t receive a new liver soon. For two years she continued with medication to stabilize her failing liver, and then in late 1999 when medications could not help her any more, they put her on the transplant list to receive a liver. She went through a very rigorous and grueling interview process to prove her worthiness in terms of lifestyle and personal health. My sister was then equipped with a pager, and for the next 18 months kept her hospital bags packed, waiting for her pager to sound. Finally in August of 2001, our prayers were answered. While a family from Tulsa grieved over the loss of their 40 year old son who died instantly in a car accident, our family in northern Oklahoma celebrated the renewed life of our sister, daughter, mother, aunt and friend, all because of the selfless choice this man made to “give life” and to be an organ donor.
I am fortunate my sister had a second chance in life. Not everyone can say that. The problem our nation faces is there is a lack of organs and organ donors who make organ transplants possible. A new name is added to the national waiting list every 16 minutes. That means during this 4 hour class, approximately 16 new names will be added to the list. Statistics show that 10 people will die each day waiting for an organ transplant. The reason is because there are only on the average about 5,000 donors nationally per year (ORGAN DONATION INFORMATION, 2009). What if the person in need of an organ transplant were your son, your daughter or your spouse? What if the person in need of an organ transplant were your sister, brother or one of your parents? Would your views suddenly change about being an organ donor? What if the person in need of an organ transplant was a close friend? What if the person in need of an organ transplant was you?
As a young adult, the thought of being an organ donor never crossed my mind, just as it has never crossed the minds of many of our youth and perhaps many of the students in this classroom. Not because we are selfish people, but mostly because we have not been educated about being an organ donor and human nature tells us to shy away from the unknowns rather than take the initiative to learn more about this misunderstood topic. Being an organ donor is one of the most selfless acts of kindnesses one human can do for another. In some instances, one organ donor can affect the lives of many families. One donor can give sight to a man who has never seen a sunrise, can give their heart to a person whose heart has caused nothing but endless days of pain, can give bones or muscle tissues or nerves to make a cripple child walk, or give cells to help a speechless boy speak or a deaf girl hear.
How does one go about becoming an organ donor? If you decide to become a donor, talk with your family about your decision as they will be involved in the donation arrangements when you die. If they do not know your wishes of becoming a donor, your wishes may never be carried out. Also, mark your driver’s license so that your license indicates your intent to donate. You need not wait for the renewal date of your license. You can go to your local tag agency and update your license to indicate your desire to be an organ donor. Another option available is to sign up online at www.lifeshareregistry.org. For those who do not have internet access, call 800-826-LIFE for a donor registration card to be mailed to you.
While many people choose to donate an organ upon their death, a person can also donate an organ (such as a kidney or a portion of their liver) while they are still living; these people are called “living donors”. One does not need to be a blood relative (such as a sibling or parent) of a living donor to receive a donor organ.
Below are answers to some common questions people have about being an organ donor.
Q. If emergency room doctors know you are an organ donor, will they work as hard to save you?
A. If you are sick or injured and admitted to the hospital, the number one priority is to save your life. Organ donation can only be considered after brain death has been declared by a physician. Oklahoma has adopted legislation allowing individuals to legally designate their wish to be a donor should brain death occur.
Q. When do you become too old to be a donor?
A. People of all ages and medical histories will be considered as potential donors. Your medical condition at the time of death will determine which organs and tissue can be donated.
Q. Does my family have to pay for organ donation?
A. No. Once you are pronounced brain dead and medical professionals review your case for organ donation, the transplant donor service pays for all procedures, tests or evaluations needed for donation.
Q. What organs are people able to donate that can help others?
A. Organs which are transplantable are heart, lungs, liver, kidneys, pancrease and intestines. Tissues that can be donated include eyes, skin, bone, heart valves, veins/arteries and tendons.
Q. Does organ donation disfigure the body or change the way it looks in the casket?
A. No. Donation does not change the appearance of the body for the funeral service.
Q. Do celebrities and people with money get transplanted more quickly than those without?
A. No. The placement of organs is done from a national list starting with our state. The order in which the list is kept is based upon severity of the recipients illness, time spent waiting, blood type, and other important medical information.
Q. Do some religions prohibit donation?
A. All major organized religions approve of organ and tissue donation and consider it an act of charity.
Q. Does certain history of medical illness mean your organs or tissues are unfit for donation?
A. At the time of death, medical professionals will review your medical and social history to determine whether you will be a candidate for donation. Each potential donor is evaluated on a case by case basis. With recent advances in transplantation, more people have the opportunity to become donors (LIFESHARE, 2009).
Being an organ donor can be one of the most important decisions you can ever make and also the greatest gift you could ever give…..the gift of life.
This year, my sister will celebrate a milestone in her life, her 50th birthday. But even more importantly, my sister will celebrate an even bigger milestone in her life; her 8th birthday of renewed life since her transplant in 2001. Because a young man from Tulsa checked the organ donor box on his driver’s license, my sister was able to witness the many accomplishments in the lives of her 3 children, who are all grown and have left the nest. Because a young man from Tulsa checked the organ donor box on his driver’s license, my sister has been blessed with the opportunity of becoming a newspaper columnist for a Christian column in a local newspaper, and is soon to be a newly published author of a book she has recently written. Because of the choice to “give” made by this man from Tulsa, I am able still today to pick up the phone and call my only sister and best friend and talk about everyday things. Oh what a difference one person can make in the lives of so many.
References
ORGAN DONATION INFORMATION, Persuasive Speech Outline. By Erin Solomon 1998, Retrieved April 5, 2009, from http://www.organdonationinformation.org/faq.html
INTEGRIS NAZIH ZUHDI TRANSPLANT INSTITUDE, Donating Organs, Retrieved April 5, 2009, from http://www.integrisnzti.com/
LIFESHARE, Facts/Questions. Retrieved April 5, 2009, from http://www.lifeshareoklahoma.org/education/facts.php
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