Understanding Organ Donation
Organ donation is one of the greatest gifts one can give to extend the life of another human being. One person’s organs can save up to 8 lives. But it comes as the donor’s life comes to an end. If your loved one has chosen to donate their organs, it can be challenging for the family to carry out this request. Whether your loved one registered to donate as part of their own advanced care planning, or the family has decided to donate their organs, learning what to expect can help. Most important to understand is that every effort has been made to save the patient’s life.
Who can donate organs?
Anyone can register to donate organs. To donate one or more organs, certain conditions must be present. The person must:
- Be in the hospital at the time of death
- Have no brain activity (brain death) or the heart has stopped
- Be put on a breathing machine (ventilator) to keep blood and oxygen flowing to the organs until they can be removed
- Or have had a non-survivable injury
If a person is not a registered organ donor, the family can make the decision to donate on their behalf. The family cannot override a person’s decision to donate organs is they are registered.
What organs can be donated?
You may wonder what organs your loved one may donate. This may depend on the health of the donor’s organs. For instance, if a person has significant kidney damage, they would not be able to donate the kidney. The organs that can be donated include:
- Heart
- Liver
- Kidneys
- Lungs
- Pancreas
- Intestines
In addition to these organs, tissues that can be donated include:
- Eye/Corneas
- Skin
- Bone
- Tendons
- Heart valves
- Cartilage
The brain is not included in organ donation. Brain donation is only used for scientific research and is a separate process.
Who will get my loved one's organs?
One person’s organs can save up to 8 lives. Great care is taken to match donors and recipients for the best possible outcome. Matching considers the following factors:
- Health of the donor
- Organ or tissue type
- Donor distance from the recipient. Are donors and recipients in the same region so that organs can be transported in a limited amount of time?
- Body and organ size – for example a large person’s heart cannot be used in a small person or child.
- Blood type must match. This helps prevent organ rejection.
- How long the recipient has been on the transplant list. The sickest people on the wait list for the longest time and who are a strong match are considered first.
How procedure is done
An organ donation coordinator is available and trained to counsel families. They can help you understand the donation process and prepare for this generous gift.
When a donor organ becomes available, the organ procurement organization (OPO) searches a database to get a list of possible recipients. When they have potential matches, they contact the transplant center. The transplant team has a short time to make the decision to accept or decline the organ. This is based on a variety of clinical data. The organs are viable outside the body for only a short time. The resulting sense of urgency and flurry of activity can sometimes be overwhelming for the donor family. Be assured though, that the organ(s) will be respectfully removed from the donor.
There is no charge to donate an organ.
Will organ donation affect our funeral plans?
Organ donation does not affect funeral planning. The person who donates can still have a viewing and an open casket. Great care is taken to treat the body with care and respect during the donation process.