Becoming An Organ Donor
Does your driver's license designate you as an organ donor?
Did you know that by being an organ donor after you die you can save over 50 lives?
Most often times negative connotation is attached to the topic of organ donation. The reality is, as we all know, that we are not invincible, and someday every one's time will come to an end. The act of organ donation is a significantly compassionate and humane choice for a person to make.
Organ donation is a subject that affects all of us, but it also happens to be largely misunderstood. Doctors remark that transplantation is one of the most remarkable success stories in the history of medicine. Organ transplantation is an operation that is safe, lifesaving.. organdonor.org said that …show more content…
as of sept 22 2008 there are approximately 99,000 awaiting organ donation in the united states. Meaning that their life is entirely dependent upon receiving the organ that they need. Tragically, every day 12 people will die awaiting a transplant. That's over 4,000 people a year.
Surprisingly one donor can help more than fifty people in need.
Of the 2-million people who die in the United States each year, approximately 14,000 are believed to be potential organ donors, yet only 5,000 of these people actually become donors.
Who can become an organ donor?
All people of all ages should consider themselves potential organ and tissue donors. As long as you have organs, you can be a donor. There are few absolute exclusions such as people who are HIV positive, have active cancer, or certain infections. There are no strict upper or lower age limits, the only factor that is really taken into place is compatibility of the organ and possibly the blood type. Potential donors will be evaluated for suitability when the occasion arises
What can be donated?
The organs of the body that can be transplanted at the current time are kidneys, heart, lungs, liver, pancreas, and the intestines Organs cannot be stored and must be used within hours of removing them from the donor's body. Most donated organs are from people who have died,. Tissues such as your corenas ear and skin can be donated along with blood and stem cells, even bones are able to be transplanted. So as you can see if you decided to be an organ donor it is quite possible that you are able to help several people, and most likely save their life. However you can also be an organ donor while you are living. A living individual can donate a kidney, part of the pancreas, part of a lung, part of the liver, …show more content…
or part of the intestines.
The decision to be a living donor is a very personal one and the potential donor must consider the possibility of health effects that could continue following donation.
In most cases, that decision must also take into consideration the life-saving potential for a loved one—the transplant recipient.
Because all of the effects, especially the long term effects, to the donor are not known at this time, the Federal government does not actively encourage anyone to be a living donor. The Federal government does recognize the wonderful benefit that this gift of life provides to the patient awaiting a transplant. Most donors donate after they die. Which is still a help, the more people who are organ donors, the faster the list of recipients declines, and the more lives there are that can be
saved.
There are many myths that surround the topic of organ donation. It is believed that Some Major Religions oppose organ donation. All mainstream religions support organ donation and consider it to be a charitable act.
MYTH: Organ donation disfigures the body, making an open casket funeral impossible. FACT: Organ Donation does not disfigure the body and does not interfere with funeral plans, including open casket services. The body is handled just as if it was a living one MYTH: Only heart, liver and kidneys can be transplanted. FACT: The heart, kidneys, pancreas, lungs, liver and intestines are the organs that can be donated. Tissue that can be donated include the eyes, skin, bone, heart valves and tendons, and even muscles.
On my drivers license I am designated as an organ donor. I think that it is a great way to help others after you pass away, and your helping so many people without any effort on your part, and there really is no excuse to no be a donor. When I was younger I learned the lesson as to what an organ donor was. My grandpa was having heart problems and it turned out that he had a defect in one of the valves in his heart, along with damaged tissue in his lungs. Thanks to the help of an organ donor my grandpa was able to have these very severe health issues fixed. Fortunately, he only waited about 4 months to receive the tissues that he needed, most likely because the tissues that he needed were not very “popular ones“ and also because the demand for organs wasn’t as bad about ten years ago. But the transplantation went well, my grandpa is now 96 and healthy as a horse, without the help of an organ donor my grandpas health issues most likely would have gotten worse and he wouldn’t be with us today.
If you do choose to be an organ donor, you should share your decision. As the law stands today, it is ultimately up to the family, regardless of age, whether or not your decision will be upheld after death. It is important for people who wish to be organ and tissue donors to tell their family about this decision so that their wishes will be honored at the time of death. It is estimated that about 35 percent of potential donors never become donors because family members refuse to give consent.
The department of Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA) emphasize that sharing the decision to become a donor is just as important as making the decision itself .With the overwhelming demand for organ and tissue donors, the choice to be an organ donor is imperative. If you value life, if you value others, choosing to be an organ donor is a moral obligation. You could help 50 people if you decide to donate your organs and tissues: Your heart could beat for someone else. Your lungs could breathe for someone else. Your kidneys could free two people from dialysis. Your liver could save the life of a patient awaiting transplantation. Your corneas could give sight to two people. Your bone could help repair other peoples' damaged joints. Your skin could help heal many burn victims. . It doesn't matter who you are, you have the power to give someone the greatest gift in the world., the gift of life.
Did you know that by being an organ donor after you die you can save over 50 lives?
Most often times negative connotation is attached to the topic of organ donation. The reality is, as we all know, that we are not invincible, and someday every one's time will come to an end. The act of organ donation is a significantly compassionate and humane choice for a person to make.
Organ donation is a subject that affects all of us, but it also happens to be largely misunderstood. Doctors remark that transplantation is one of the most remarkable success stories in the history of medicine. Organ transplantation is an operation that is safe, lifesaving.. organdonor.org said that …show more content…
as of sept 22 2008 there are approximately 99,000 awaiting organ donation in the united states. Meaning that their life is entirely dependent upon receiving the organ that they need. Tragically, every day 12 people will die awaiting a transplant. That's over 4,000 people a year.
Surprisingly one donor can help more than fifty people in need.
Of the 2-million people who die in the United States each year, approximately 14,000 are believed to be potential organ donors, yet only 5,000 of these people actually become donors.
Who can become an organ donor?
All people of all ages should consider themselves potential organ and tissue donors. As long as you have organs, you can be a donor. There are few absolute exclusions such as people who are HIV positive, have active cancer, or certain infections. There are no strict upper or lower age limits, the only factor that is really taken into place is compatibility of the organ and possibly the blood type. Potential donors will be evaluated for suitability when the occasion arises
What can be donated?
The organs of the body that can be transplanted at the current time are kidneys, heart, lungs, liver, pancreas, and the intestines Organs cannot be stored and must be used within hours of removing them from the donor's body. Most donated organs are from people who have died,. Tissues such as your corenas ear and skin can be donated along with blood and stem cells, even bones are able to be transplanted. So as you can see if you decided to be an organ donor it is quite possible that you are able to help several people, and most likely save their life. However you can also be an organ donor while you are living. A living individual can donate a kidney, part of the pancreas, part of a lung, part of the liver, …show more content…
or part of the intestines.
The decision to be a living donor is a very personal one and the potential donor must consider the possibility of health effects that could continue following donation.
In most cases, that decision must also take into consideration the life-saving potential for a loved one—the transplant recipient.
Because all of the effects, especially the long term effects, to the donor are not known at this time, the Federal government does not actively encourage anyone to be a living donor. The Federal government does recognize the wonderful benefit that this gift of life provides to the patient awaiting a transplant. Most donors donate after they die. Which is still a help, the more people who are organ donors, the faster the list of recipients declines, and the more lives there are that can be
saved.
There are many myths that surround the topic of organ donation. It is believed that Some Major Religions oppose organ donation. All mainstream religions support organ donation and consider it to be a charitable act.
MYTH: Organ donation disfigures the body, making an open casket funeral impossible. FACT: Organ Donation does not disfigure the body and does not interfere with funeral plans, including open casket services. The body is handled just as if it was a living one MYTH: Only heart, liver and kidneys can be transplanted. FACT: The heart, kidneys, pancreas, lungs, liver and intestines are the organs that can be donated. Tissue that can be donated include the eyes, skin, bone, heart valves and tendons, and even muscles.
On my drivers license I am designated as an organ donor. I think that it is a great way to help others after you pass away, and your helping so many people without any effort on your part, and there really is no excuse to no be a donor. When I was younger I learned the lesson as to what an organ donor was. My grandpa was having heart problems and it turned out that he had a defect in one of the valves in his heart, along with damaged tissue in his lungs. Thanks to the help of an organ donor my grandpa was able to have these very severe health issues fixed. Fortunately, he only waited about 4 months to receive the tissues that he needed, most likely because the tissues that he needed were not very “popular ones“ and also because the demand for organs wasn’t as bad about ten years ago. But the transplantation went well, my grandpa is now 96 and healthy as a horse, without the help of an organ donor my grandpas health issues most likely would have gotten worse and he wouldn’t be with us today.
If you do choose to be an organ donor, you should share your decision. As the law stands today, it is ultimately up to the family, regardless of age, whether or not your decision will be upheld after death. It is important for people who wish to be organ and tissue donors to tell their family about this decision so that their wishes will be honored at the time of death. It is estimated that about 35 percent of potential donors never become donors because family members refuse to give consent.
The department of Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA) emphasize that sharing the decision to become a donor is just as important as making the decision itself .With the overwhelming demand for organ and tissue donors, the choice to be an organ donor is imperative. If you value life, if you value others, choosing to be an organ donor is a moral obligation. You could help 50 people if you decide to donate your organs and tissues: Your heart could beat for someone else. Your lungs could breathe for someone else. Your kidneys could free two people from dialysis. Your liver could save the life of a patient awaiting transplantation. Your corneas could give sight to two people. Your bone could help repair other peoples' damaged joints. Your skin could help heal many burn victims. . It doesn't matter who you are, you have the power to give someone the greatest gift in the world., the gift of life.