The Gift of Life: Organ Donation by Rod
November 20, 2006
The Need:
There is an extensive need
in the
A person can donate an
extensive list of tissues in addition to major organs: Heart, lungs, pancreas,
liver, kidneys, small and large intestines, blood vessels, heart valves, skin,
bone, eyes, are just a few. Anyone of
any age can be an organ or tissue donor, unless the person has active cancer or
is HIV/AIDS positive. In addition to
donating organs at the time of one’s death, one can also be a living donor of
blood and blood product and bone marrow, as well as lung, kidney, liver, and
pancreatic tissue. There is a great need
for living donors as well as donations at the time of death.
The Process of Donating
Organs and Tissues:
Indicating on one’s driver’s
license one’s preference to be an organ donor is one place to start, but it is
not enough. Notice on a driver’s license
is sufficient, however, to indicate a preference to
one’s family / survivors that one wishes to donate major organs. To truly be an organ donor, one must also
register with the Iowa Donor Network by calling their toll free phone number:
877-366-6742; or by going to their website at www.IowaDonorNetwork.org. One may also contact their main office at
Donation of blood, blood
products, bone marrow and bone tissue is a separate process, but the Iowa Donor
Network can guide you in these processes.
All information for people
on the waiting list to receive organ or tissue donations is updated on a weekly
basis, and that person’s status on the list is changed accordingly. Financial status, degree of personal
influence, or ability to pay are not factors that cause a person to move up or
down on the waiting list. The list is
based solely on the person’s degree of need and degree of urgency. A computer
makes the match of donor organs to persons in need.
Extensive testing is done to
assure the viability of the donated organ and the correct tissue match between
the donor and the recipient of the organ.
Once the testing is completed, the organs are “harvested” and flown to
the city where the major hospital nearest to where the recipient lives.
There is no cost to the
donor or the donor’s family for donating organs or tissues in
Nearly all major religions,
denominations and sects support organ donation.
Interesting Information:
The first organ transplant
was done in the early 1960’s by a physician in
One organ donor can save the
lives of up to 8 people, and tissue donors can enhance the lives of up to 200
people.
Only about 1% of the donors
meet the criteria for donation because of the very small window of eligible
time for donation, and the exclusiveness of the conditions of death. And, of those eligible to donate, only half
of those families choose to donate their loved one’s tissues or organs.
For More Information
Contact:
(319) 665-3787
or Toll Free: 1-877-366-6742
or
(515) 727-7897