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ORGAN AND TISSUE DONATION

Presented by LifeLink® of Georgia

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LifeLink® Foundation

LifeLink Foundation is a not-for-profit service organization dedicated to the recovery of life-

saving and life-enhancing organs and tissue for transplantation therapy.

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5 Divisions

– LifeLink® Tissue Bank– LifeLink® Transplantation Immunology Lab– 3 Organ Procurement Organizations• LifeLink of Georgia• LifeLink® of Florida• LifeLink® of Puerto Rico

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Organ Procurement Organization (OPO)

• OPOs are non-profit organizations responsible for coordinating organ donation and transplantation in a specific geographic region throughout the U.S.

• All OPOs are designated by the Federal Government to serve specific regions

• OPOs are responsible for the evaluation, preservation, allocation, recovery, and transport of donated organs

• There are 58 OPOs across the United States today

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Careers in Donation and Transplantation

• Vascular Coordinator• Tissue Coordinator• Surgical Technician• Hospital Development• Public Affairs• Multicultural Donation • Support Staff

• Transplant Surgeons• Transplant

Coordinators

• Dialysis Technicians

• Physicians

• Physical Therapists• Social Workers• Psychologist

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Multicultural Perspective

• Donation affects all ethnic groups. Successful transplantation often is enhanced by matching organs between members of the same ethnic and racial group.

Statistics:• Sixty-six percent of those on the waiting list in

Georgia make up the minority population. Almost two-thirds of those waiting for kidney transplants are African American. The number of Hispanics in need of kidney transplants has increased.

Data Updated 08-2014

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Statistics

• More than 121,000 men, women, and children currently await life-saving transplants. In Georgia there are more than 4,300 people waiting.

• Every 11 minutes another name is added to the national transplant waiting list.

• An average of 18 people die per day due to a lack of available organs.

Data Updated 08-2014

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Life-saving Organs can be donated and transplanted

HeartCardiomyopathy Coronary artery disease Congenital heart valve

Small IntestineChron’s disease Short gut syndrome

LungsEmphysema

Cystic fibrosis Primary pulmonary hypertension

KidneysDiabetes Polycystic kidneys End-stage renal failure Hypertension

LiverCirrhosis Biliary atresia Cancer

PancreasDiabetes End-stage renal failure

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Life-enhancing Tissue can be donated and transplanted

CorneasRestore sight

BoneSalvage limbs Cancer treatment Spinal and oral surgery

Heart ValvesCongenital birth defects repair

Tendons, Veins & Cartilage

Restores mobility in patients with damaged tendons or joints Used in vascular reconstruction facial and other reconstructive surgery

SkinTreatment for burn patients (decreases pain, infection and heat and fluid loss)

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Types of Donors

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Living Donors

Healthy individuals who are usually related or very closeto the recipient

Potential living donors undergo compatibility testing

Transplants from living donors includekidney, partial liver or partial lung

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Deceased Donors

Brain DeathMaintained on a ventilator

Heart Beating

Cardiac DeathNo Cardiac or Respiratory

Function

Acceptable DonationsCorneas

Heart ValvesSkinBoneVeins

Tendons

Acceptable DonationsHeartLungsLiver

KidneyPancreasCorneas

Heart ValvesSkinBoneVeins

Tendons

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• United Network of Organ Sharing (UNOS)• Medical compatibility

– Matching donors with recipients– Blood type & height / weight criteria

• How sick is the patient?• How long has the patient been waiting?

• Race, gender, age, income, and social status are NOT considered when determining who receives an organ transplant.

Who Receives Donated Organs?Who Receives Donated Organs?

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Donation Process

• Referral

• Evaluation

• Medical and Social History

• Recovery

• Transplant

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When is LifeLink Notified?When is LifeLink Notified?

After all life-saving efforts by hospital personnel were administered and the patient is near death or died.

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The Need for Donors

• Transplants provide hope for thousands of people with organ failure. In addition, hundreds of thousands more can be helped with tissue transplants. Unfortunately, the need for donors is much greater than the actual number of donors.

• One donor can potentially save or enhance the lives of 50 or more people.

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Donor Designations

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Donor Registry

Become an organ and tissue donor by signing up on the Donate Life Georgia Organ and Tissue Donor Registry:

Visit your local Department of Driver Services Office Say yes to organ and tissue donation Donor Designation imprint will be on driver license Sign-up online at www.donatelifegeorgia.org Contact 1-877-56-SHARE for a donor registry form

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Permanent Driver’s License – formats

21 and over

Under 21

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Identification Card – formats

21 and over

Under 21

*Under 18 years of age, a parent or legal guardian must witness your signature as an

organ donor

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Donor Registry

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Talk to Your Family

While signing up on the donor registry and holding a driver license with the “organ donor” designations are legal documents, you should always discuss your decision to donate with family members to ensure that your family understands your wishes.

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MYTH OR FACT

Only young people can become organ donors. Older people’s

organs are not useful.

MYTH

Fact: People of all ages and medical histories should consider

themselves potential donors.

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MYTH OR FACTMYTHI’m a Southern Baptist. My

religion doesn’t support donation.

Fact: All major religions support organ, eye and tissue donation as an unselfish act of charity.

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MYTH OR FACT

If I’m an organ donor, I can still have an open casket

funeral.

FACT

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MYTH OR FACT

I just lost my job and am short on cash. I can legally sell my kidney for $10,000.

MYTH

Fact: It’s a federal crime to buy or sell human organs. There is also no way to buy a spot on the waiting list.

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MYTH OR FACT

There is no cost to the donor or their family for organ,

tissue, and eye donation.

FACT

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Questions?