Organ Donation

Organ Donation Organ donation is a topic which contains many conflicting views. To some of the public population organ donation is a genuine way of saving the life of another, to some it is mistrusted and to others it is not fully understood. There are some techniques that can be used to increase donation. Of these techniques the most crucial would be being educated. If the life threatening and the critical shortage of organs were fully understood by the public, organ donation would more likely be on the rise. An effort is needed throughout the world to make people aware of the benefits this process contains. With communication, technology, and donors, organ donation can improve a person’s outlook on life by giving them a second chance on their own.
Technology has improved organ donation so much in the last couple years. There are numerous benefits of becoming an organ donor. Becoming an organ donor is one of the most selfless acts that a person can engage in. The facts on organ donation are staggering: there is an extreme shortage of available organs for patients that are in need. Understanding what organs can be donated can be vital in becoming an organ donor, as well as other factors’ including how being an organ donor affects the recipient who is eligible for donation. According to the US Department of Health and Human Services, every day 19 people die who are waiting for organ transplants due to a shortage. As of September 21, 2009, approximately 103,700 people in the United States were waiting on an organ donation. During the six-month period prior to this, only 7,250 received an organ donation according to United Networking for Organ Sharing data. At this rate it will take 15 years just to get through the people on this list, without adding anyone new.
The benefits of organ donation are important because they have a higher need for organ transplants due to certain diseases that affect individual races on a more frequent basis. Many parts of the human body can be donated, including organs, such as kidneys, heart, lungs and liver. The pancreas and intestines are also viable organs. Although many organ transplants occur post-mortem, many organs can be donated via live donation, including a full kidney or a portion of another organ, such as a part of a lung. If more teen drivers were to agree to become organ donors, many additional lives could be saved. Teen drivers should become organ donors because it is simple, the organs can be used instead of wasted, and they can assist in saving lives.
When we think about becoming an organ donor, we undoubtedly begin to think about treacherous paper work. In reality, this is not the case at all. We are simply asked to respond to one question, yes or no. Every student receiving a permit or license has the opportunity to become an organ donor. The simple yes or no question is asked at the same time that we submit our name, gender and height. It may seem morbid that we are deciding the future of our organs at a seconds notice, but when we learn about the pros and cons beforehand, we can feel confident in our answer and have complete faith in the commitment we are making.
The person receiving the organs would have a much better use for them than we would have had for them in our grave, just as a perfectly decent light bulb has no use in a broken lamp. Being an organ donor does not mean we are expected to die any time soon. Being an organ donor does not mean that we will be certain to save a life. Being an organ donor means we are willing to give the working parts of our body, no longer of any use to us, to someone else in order to improve, or possibly save, their life.