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As of March 17th, 2005, 87,740 people were listed for life saving organ
transplants. Of that number 3,767 were waiting for lung transplants and
170 for heart-lung transplants. In 2004, 493 people with lung and
heart-lung disease died waiting on the list. 66 people became too sick to
transplant. 1,190 lung and heart-lung patients received the best gift of
all, the gift of life. Every day 16 people will die waiting for a
transplant because there are not enough organs available. Every 13 minutes
another name is added to the list of those who are waiting. Organs that
can be donated include heart, lung, liver, kidney, pancreas, and small
intestine (UNOS). About one third of the people waiting will
receive a transplant in any given year.
Although 85% of Americans support donation, there is an organ shortage. In
2004, there were 7,153 cadaveric donors and 6,983 living donors nationwide.
Many families simply do not know the wishes of their deceased loved ones.
Faced with a decision at the time of a tragic event many do not consent to
donation. What can you do? The most important thing you can do is to
discuss donation with your family members. Make sure your family knows that
you support donation and in the event of your death you wish to be an organ
and tissue donor. Some states are mandating a presumed consent policy. If
you have a signed donor card at the time of death (see below for a
PRINTABLE CARD), and you are in an area that has legislated this policy
your donor card will be legally binding. (Presumed Consent)
Spreading the word about donation and about the family's role in the
consent process is the responsibility of every recipient and would-be
recipient. Organ Procurement Agencies can provide both volunteer training
and supplies for organ donor awareness education programs
(Organ Procurement Agencies).
Educational programs in schools, churches, hospitals, and as part of
drivers' education may already be set up for your area. Speaker training
can be accessed online at
TransplantSpeakers.org
Organ and tissue donation can be encouraged through simple choices such as
wearing a green donor pin or by wearing a T-shirt. Both help to initiate
conversation about the importance of organ and tissue donation.
Second Wind Store,
St. Louis Second Wind Store,
Transplant Awareness
all provide affordable awareness accessories.
Organ and tissue donation can be encouraged through simple choices such as wearing a green donor pin or by wearing a T-shirt.
Both help to initiate conversation about the importance of organ and tissue donation.
Second Wind Store
St. Louis Second wind Store
Transplant Awareness
As we educate people about organ donation we must be current on our facts and aware of misconceptions.
Transweb is an excellent resource and covers
the top 10 myths about donation and transplantation.
Another excellent resource for updated facts is
Transplant -L's facts.
It is important to remember as a volunteer that our job is to educate the public, not to force our viewpoint on others. A particularly sensitive area is minority donation. Race is not a barrier to donation, but kidney transplant patients are more likely to find an antigen match within their same race. African- Americans, Asian-Pacific Islanders and Latinos are three times more likely to suffer from end-stage kidney disease than Caucasians. Native Americans are four times more likely to develop diabetes than Caucasians. The Minority Organ Tissue Transplant Education Program is committed to educating the public about donation as well as about lifestyle changes that may serve to decrease the health risks in minority communities.
Tissue donation has become an increasingly important area to cover in any discussion on donation. Tissue donation can occur even when someone dies at home. Tissues that can be donated include skin, bone, bone marrow, corneas (from the eyes), and heart valves. Skin grafts are used for burn victims; bone is molded and used in reconstructive surgery; corneas are transplanted to give sight; and heart valves are used in valve replacement surgery. A donor who donates everything can save up to seven people and benefit up to 50 people. Even then an open casket funeral is possible as all organs and tissues are removed by skilled surgeons.
I have volunteered for my local Organ Procurement Agency since my bilateral lung transplant in 1996.
I have volunteered as a speaker at the hospital, in the community and at my church. I have worked in organ donation awareness booths at the hospital, at school, at businesses, and at the Havelock Yacht club. I have taught hour long classes in donation awareness as a part of driver's education classes in Durham, NC. The key to awareness is education of the public prior to an event that is frequently tragic. I also participated in the Transplant Olympics in 1998, 2000 and have plans to participate in the 2004 games in Minnesota. Your local press can be contacted for coverage of this event.
At the Transplant games I met a number of donor families. These families have joined forces to help get the word out about donation. We owe them a deep debt for their willingness to give their loved one's organs and tissues. I have been collecting stories from and about donor families. These stories will help you understand the donor family perspective. Each and every one of these families are heroic. They have put aside their grief and thought of those waiting and those in need of organ and tissue donations.
Recently a new class of organ donor has emerged through living lobe donation. Two people must each donate a lobe to a recipient for this procedure.
Finally, I would like to thank my donor family. All I know about you is that you lost your son tragically when he was murdered in Durham, NC.
Thank you from the bottom of my heart for your generosity. With your donation and the Lord's help I continue to live a full life with my husband, Rick, and daughter, Sarah.
Additional Donor stories always welcome.
Kathryn Flynn
Coordinator, Donor Program Feature
April 2004
Send an email to Kathryn
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A Living Advertisement
Kathryn Flynn Sports A
Donor Sweatshirt.
A Donor Awareness Booth In Havelock, North Carolina.
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