save lives: a donor sister's story

SAVE LIVES…SAVE LIVES…BECOME AN ORGAN DONORBECOME AN ORGAN DONOR

April 2011

What is organ donation?What is organ donation?

““I’m not I’m not gonna need gonna need ‘em when ‘em when I’m dead.”I’m dead.”

At the age of 16, my brother made a simple At the age of 16, my brother made a simple but profound decision that all too soon but profound decision that all too soon came to affect a vast circle of people in came to affect a vast circle of people in ways they could not have imagined. I will ways they could not have imagined. I will never forget his excitement as he reached never forget his excitement as he reached into his wallet to pull out his brand new into his wallet to pull out his brand new driver’s license. He was so proud, taking driver’s license. He was so proud, taking the time to walk me through each element the time to walk me through each element as if I’d never seen one before. He was like as if I’d never seen one before. He was like that; charismatic, easy-going with an that; charismatic, easy-going with an infectious sense of humor. He pointed to infectious sense of humor. He pointed to the big heart indicating that he was an the big heart indicating that he was an organ donor. “You’re an organ donor?” I organ donor. “You’re an organ donor?” I interrogated. “Yeah…I’m not gonna need interrogated. “Yeah…I’m not gonna need ‘em when I’m dead,” he replied in a matter-‘em when I’m dead,” he replied in a matter-of-fact kind of manner. Such a simple of-fact kind of manner. Such a simple phrase to encompass a basic concept. Yet phrase to encompass a basic concept. Yet the implications, the influence, the ultimate the implications, the influence, the ultimate impact was in no way simple or basic. impact was in no way simple or basic. Needless-to-say, I never forgot those Needless-to-say, I never forgot those words. Little did I know, just five short words. Little did I know, just five short years later, they would serve as the years later, they would serve as the catalyst for my brother’s incredible legacy.catalyst for my brother’s incredible legacy.

We could fill FedEx field to capacity and We could fill FedEx field to capacity and not have enough seats for the more not have enough seats for the more than 100,000 individuals currently than 100,000 individuals currently waiting for organ transplantation. waiting for organ transplantation.

……and each day 18 people die as and each day 18 people die as they wait.they wait.

What organs can be donated?What organs can be donated?

Just how many people are Just how many people are waiting for these organs?waiting for these organs?

www.unos.org on November 8, 2010

http://www.unos.org/

Every 11 minutes, Every 11 minutes, another name is added another name is added

to this waiting list.to this waiting list.

What tissues What tissues can be can be

donated?donated?7.7. BoneBone for facial for facial reconstruction, spinal and reconstruction, spinal and oral surgeryoral surgery

8.8. CartilageCartilage for post- for post-traumatic injury traumatic injury reconstructionreconstruction

9.9. CorneaCornea to restore eyesight to restore eyesight

10.10.FasciaFascia

11.11.Heart Valves Heart Valves to repair to repair congenital heart defectscongenital heart defects

12.12.LigamentsLigaments

13.13.PericardiumPericardium for for neurosurgeryneurosurgery

14.14.SkinSkin to prevent infection in to prevent infection in burn patientsburn patients

15.15.TendonsTendons for joint for joint reconstructive surgeryreconstructive surgery

16.16.VeinsVeins for heart bypass for heart bypass surgerysurgery

Why is there a lack Why is there a lack of donors?of donors?

Most people choose not to become an organ donor Most people choose not to become an organ donor because they hold on to any number of common because they hold on to any number of common myths and misconceptions.myths and misconceptions.

I can’t I can’t donate donate

because…because…The hospital staff The hospital staff won't work as hard to won't work as hard to save my life.save my life.

FACT. FACT. When you go to When you go to the hospital for the hospital for treatment, doctors focus treatment, doctors focus on saving your life — not on saving your life — not somebody else's. You'll somebody else's. You'll be seen by a doctor be seen by a doctor whose specialty most whose specialty most closely matches your closely matches your particular emergency. particular emergency. The doctor in charge of The doctor in charge of your care has nothing to your care has nothing to do with transplantation.do with transplantation.


because…because…It is against my It is against my religion.religion.

FACTFACT. Organ donation is . Organ donation is an act of charity. It an act of charity. It consistent with the consistent with the beliefs of most religions. beliefs of most religions. This includes Catholicism, This includes Catholicism, Protestantism, Islam and Protestantism, Islam and most branches of most branches of Judaism. If you're unsure Judaism. If you're unsure of or uncomfortable with of or uncomfortable with your faith's position on your faith's position on donation, ask a member donation, ask a member of your clergy. of your clergy.


because…because…I'm under age 18 and I'm under age 18 and too young to make this too young to make this decision.decision.

FACT. FACT. That's true, in a That's true, in a legal sense. But your legal sense. But your parents can authorize this parents can authorize this decision. You can express decision. You can express to your parents your wish to your parents your wish to donate, and your to donate, and your parents can give their parents can give their consent knowing that it's consent knowing that it's what you wanted. Children, what you wanted. Children, too, are in need of organ too, are in need of organ transplants, and they transplants, and they usually need organs usually need organs smaller than those an adult smaller than those an adult can providecan provide


because…because…I'm not in the best of I'm not in the best of health/ too old and nobody health/ too old and nobody would want my organs or would want my organs or tissues. tissues.

FACT. FACT. Very few medical Very few medical conditions automatically conditions automatically disqualify you from donating disqualify you from donating organs and there's no defined organs and there's no defined cutoff age. Organs have been cutoff age. Organs have been successfully transplanted from successfully transplanted from donors in their 80s. The donors in their 80s. The decision to use an organ is decision to use an organ is based on strict medical based on strict medical criteria. Only medical criteria. Only medical professionals at the time of professionals at the time of your death can determine your death can determine whether your organs are whether your organs are suitable for transplantation.suitable for transplantation.


because…because…An open-casket funeral An open-casket funeral isn't an option for people isn't an option for people who have donated organs who have donated organs or tissues.or tissues.

FACT. FACT. Organ and tissue Organ and tissue donation doesn't interfere with donation doesn't interfere with having an open-casket funeral. having an open-casket funeral. The donor's body is clothed for The donor's body is clothed for burial, so there are no visible burial, so there are no visible signs of organ or tissue signs of organ or tissue donation. For bone donation, a donation. For bone donation, a rod is inserted where bone is rod is inserted where bone is removed. With skin donation, removed. With skin donation, a very thin layer of skin similar a very thin layer of skin similar to a sunburn peel is taken to a sunburn peel is taken from the donor's back. from the donor's back. Because the donor is clothed Because the donor is clothed and lying on his or her back in and lying on his or her back in the casket, no one can see any the casket, no one can see any difference.difference.


because…because…Rich and famous people go Rich and famous people go to the top of the list when to the top of the list when they need a donor organ.they need a donor organ.

FACT. FACT. The rich and famous The rich and famous aren't given priority when it aren't given priority when it comes to allocating organs. It comes to allocating organs. It may seem that way because of may seem that way because of the amount of publicity the amount of publicity generated when celebrities generated when celebrities receive a transplant, but they receive a transplant, but they are treated no differently from are treated no differently from anyone else. In fact, the United anyone else. In fact, the United Network for Organ Sharing Network for Organ Sharing (UNOS), the organization (UNOS), the organization responsible for maintaining the responsible for maintaining the national organ transplant national organ transplant network, subjects all celebrity network, subjects all celebrity transplants to an internal audit transplants to an internal audit to make sure the organ to make sure the organ allocation was appropriate.allocation was appropriate.


because…because…I wouldn't be allowed to I wouldn't be allowed to donate a kidney now, donate a kidney now, unless one of my family unless one of my family members is in need.members is in need.

FACTFACT. While that used to be . While that used to be the case, it isn't any longer. the case, it isn't any longer. Whether it's a distant family Whether it's a distant family member, friend or complete member, friend or complete stranger you want to help, stranger you want to help, you can donate a kidney you can donate a kidney through certain transplant through certain transplant centers. If you decide to centers. If you decide to become a living donor, you become a living donor, you will undergo extensive will undergo extensive questioning to ensure that questioning to ensure that you are aware of the risks you are aware of the risks and that your decision to and that your decision to donate isn't based on donate isn't based on financial gain. You will also financial gain. You will also undergo testing to determine undergo testing to determine if your kidneys are in good if your kidneys are in good shape and whether you can shape and whether you can live a healthy life with just live a healthy life with just one kidney.one kidney.


because…because…My family will be My family will be charged.charged.

FACTFACT. The organ donor's . The organ donor's family is never charged family is never charged for donating. The family is for donating. The family is charged for the cost of all charged for the cost of all final efforts to save your final efforts to save your life, and those costs are life, and those costs are sometimes misinterpreted sometimes misinterpreted as costs related to organ as costs related to organ donation. Costs for organ donation. Costs for organ removal go to the removal go to the transplant recipient.transplant recipient.

What can What can you do?you do?

1.1. REGISTERREGISTER to become to become an organ donor at your an organ donor at your local DMV or securely local DMV or securely online at online at http://www.beadonor.org/registry

2.2. DISCUSSDISCUSS your decision your decision with your family and with your family and friends (you may inspire friends (you may inspire others to become organ others to become organ donors too)donors too)

http://www.beadonor.org/registry

http://www.beadonor.org/registry

Be A Hero!Be A Hero!1.1. Save as many as Save as many as

9 lives.9 lives.

2.2. Enhance the lives Enhance the lives of up to 50 of up to 50 people.people.

3.3. Create an Create an enduring legacy enduring legacy that can mitigate that can mitigate the grief and the grief and sorrow of those sorrow of those you leave you leave behind.behind.

Learn more at these Learn more at these websites…websites…

VISIT VISIT http://iiigifts.comhttp://iiigifts.com

QUESTIONS?QUESTIONS?Send them to [email protected] them to [email protected]

Alisa Hughley, MPHAlisa Hughley, MPHDonor SisterDonor Sister

save lives: a donor sister's story

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