ORGAN DONATIONBy: Aubree Malone

“When you’re not an organ donor when you die, you’re taking a lot of people with

you.”

WHY IS DONATION IMPORTANT?

Every day 18 people die waiting for their lifesaving organ.

The national organ donation waiting list is over 100,000 patients and continues to grow by about 6 patients every single hour.

Approximately 2,600 of these patients are Virginians.

In 1991 the difference between donors and patients was 16,245: 6,953 donors and 23,198 on the waiting list.

In 2013 the difference between donors and patients on the waiting list was 107,015: 14,257 donors and 121,272 on the waiting list.

Between 1991 and 2013, the number of donors has only increased by 7,304 while the number of patients on the waiting list has increased by 98,074.

EVERY BREATH I TAKE

DONATION SAVES LIVES

One donor can save up to 9 lives

One donor can also aid the lives of over 50 people.

Transplant survival rates keep increasing as medical therapies get better

Recipients can live long, normal, healthy, productive lives

Donor families who are grieving, find comfort in others, whether it be from other donor families or from the recipient’s family.

WHO CAN DONATE?

Anyone who decides to become a donor can donate for transplantation, research, education, and therapy.

If a patient’s donation decision is unknown, the family will be asked to make the decision if the patient dies.

Donation professionals will decide at the time of death what a person can donate and for what purposes.

WHAT CAN BE DONATED?

If a patient dies because of their heart stopping (cardiac death), they can donate eyes, tissues, and certain organs.

If a patient dies because their brain function ceases (brain death), they can donate all organs, their eyes, and tissues.

If a patient wants to donate while still living, they can donate a single kidney, part of a lung, and a liver lobe. In addition they can donate blood and bone marrow.

CARDIAC DEATH + DONATION

98 out of 100 of us will die because our heart stops.

Tissues► Corneas/Eyes► Heart Valves ► Skin► Veins► Tendons► Bone► Ligaments► Nerves► Pericardium► Sclera

Organs► Under some circumstances, if a

patient or family wishes to withdraw support, when the heart stops a patient can also donate some organs for transplant

BRAIN DEATH + DONATION

2 out of 100 of us will die because our brain function ceases.

Tissues► Corneas/Eyes► Heart Valves ► Skin► Veins► Tendons► Bone► Ligaments► Nerves► Pericardium

Organ► Heart► Kidneys (2)► Liver (split)► Lungs (2)► Pancreas ► Small Intestines

LIVING DONATION

Anyone who is alive and healthy may decide to donate organs or tissues to benefit a family member, friends, or even a complete

stranger

Tissues► Blood► Bone Marrow► Skin

Organs► Kidney► Liver Lobe► Lung Lobe

HOW DOES IT ALL WORK

Hospitals must call the local Organ Procurement Organization (OPO) with information on every patient that dies.

The OPO professionals evaluate each patient to see if medically, donation can occur.

Then the professionals determine if the patient had decided to be a donor (usually on Donor Registry, but sometimes on other documents).

The OPO professionals provide support for the patient’s family and explain the donation process

HOW DOES IT ALL WORK

If donation can occur for transplantation, the doctor’s information is submitted to UNOS (the United Network for Organ Sharing) to be matched with potential recipients

Transplant surgeons and professionals arrive to perform the organ recoveries, followed by eye and tissue recovery specialists.

Waiting patients receive transplants; tissue and eye banks receive donated gifts to prepare for later requests by surgeons.

The OPO continues to provide sensitive and caring support for grieving families after the recovery.

DECISION TO DONATE

HOW TO REGISTER

Sign up at the DMV (online or at the office) when you receive your permit, license, renew your license or state ID.

Or sign up online at www.DonateLifeVirginia.org

TEENS CAN REGISTER

Virginia law allows people age 13-18 to register their donation decision in the Virginia Donor Registry

Remember, until you are 18, a parent or guardian must consent to donation, even if you have registered.

SHARE THE DECISION WITH YOUR FAMILY

Since a parent must consent to donation if you are under 18, your family needs to be aware of your decision.

BARRIERS

MYTH OR FACT

MYTH OR FACT

If emergency room doctors know you're an organ donor, they won't work as hard to save you.

MYTH OR FACT

When you are on the transplant waiting list for a donor organ, the only factors which determine organ allocation are medical factors specific for that organ and includes measure like the severity of your illness, time spent waiting and blood type among others.

MYTH OR FACT

Having "organ donor" noted on your driver's license or carrying a donor card is all you have to do to become a donor.

MYTH OR FACT

Only hearts, livers, and kidneys can be transplanted.

MYTH OR FACT

Your history of medical illness means your organs or tissues are unfit for donation.

MYTH OR FACT

People of all ages and medical histories should consider themselves potential donors. Your medical condition at the time of death will determine what organs and tissue can be donated.

MYTH OR FACT

There is no cost to the donor's family or estate for organ and tissue donation.

MYTH OR FACT

Organ donation disfigures the body and changes the way it looks in a casket.

MYTH OR FACT

All major organized religions approve of organ and tissue donation and consider it an act of charity.

MYTH OR FACT

Organs are not removed until an independent physician pronounces the patient dead.

MYTH OR FACT

No medications are given to cause a patient's death. Patients may be given medications while they are on the ventilator to keep them comfortable.

MYTH OR FACT

Families cannot be with their loved one when he or she dies

QUESTIONS?