ORGAN DONATION

Organ donation is the act of donating an organ by a person so

that it can be transplanted by surgical procedure in the body of
the recipient. Organ donation can benefit the recipient largely
by improving health, quality and span of his life and even save
him from death or other critical conditions like paralysis.
Any person above the age of 18 is eligible to become a donor
irrespective of the background. Even younger population under
18 can donate with permission from parent or guardian. The
most surprising fact about organ donation is that some organs
can be donated even when a person is alive. Most organs are
however transplanted only after the donor is dead. By getting
registered as a donor with some trust, one gets a donor card
which makes him/her eligible for donation soon after his/her
death. A single donors body can save up to 50 people. Age is
not a constraint, which means that people aged 70 or 80 also
can become successful donors.
There is no dearth of people who need critical organs like
kidney, lungs, liver or heart which has malfunctioned in their
body due to critical disease or may be congenitally
underdeveloped in their bodies. Not just organs but tissues can
also be donated. Kidneys, lungs, pancreas, heart, small bowel
and liver are chief organs that are donated for transplantation.
Similarly the tissues of cornea, bone, skin, tendons, cartilage
and heart valves can be used for donation. Also when a donor
decides to opt for organ donation after his death, he can decide
to donate the whole body or specific body parts as desired.
Most countries have an established organ donation association
which is approved and legalized to collect the organs donated
by people in that country. These organs may be preserved or
immediately used for transplantation in any persons body
needing them.
Until the time of recovery, it is important that blood and oxygen
flow through the persons body so that it is suitable for
transplantation.
Organ donation is also possible after a brain death but all
possible tests must be conducted to confirm it so that donation
is possible. Even a deceased person who is not on the donor

registry of the country can donate with suitable authorization

from spouse or close relative. It is the donation professionals
who decide which organs from the deceased persons body can
be transplanted.
For people who suffer from serious ailments threatening lives,
organ donation is often the only possibility to get a second
chance of survival. The number of people waiting for organ
donation across the world is manifolds the number of organ
donations that actually happen. Thus not every one in this
world who needs transplantation is fortunate enough to receive
an appropriate donor.
Tissue can be donated within 24 hours of death. Organ
donation can save many lives and thus we must step forward
for this noble job. Whether you considered doing charity and
other noble deeds in lifetime or not, but death is definitely an
opportunity when you can contribute to humanity by the act of
organ donation.
The gift of life is everyone's to give. Do your part to help those
in need,
and live a life that is noble, caring and humane.
At this moment, more than 105,000 people in the U.S. are
waiting for an organ. Four thousand more people are added to
the national waiting list each day.
Each of these people is in desperate need of
a kidney, liver, heart, or other organ. More than 6,500 people a
year -- about 18 a day -- die before that organ ever becomes
available.
Organ donors are always in short supply. There are far more
people in need of a transplant than there are people willing to
donate an organ.
Most of the organs that are available come from deceased
donors. When you fill out an organ donor card with your driver's

license, you're agreeing to donate all or some of your organs if

you die.
A smaller number of organs come from healthy people. About
6,000transplants from living donors are performed each year.
Just about anyone, at any age, can become an organ donor.
Anyone younger than 18 needs to have the consent of a parent
or guardian.
For organ donation after death, a medical assessment will be
done to determine what organs can be donated. Certain
conditions, such as having HIV, actively spreading cancer, or
severe infection would exclude organ donation.
Having a serious condition like cancer, HIV, diabetes, kidney
disease, orheart disease can prevent you from donating as a
living donor.
Let your transplant team know about any health conditions you
have at the beginning of the process. Then they can decide
whether you're a good candidate.
Pros. Probably the greatest benefit of organ donation is
knowing that you're saving a life. That life might be your
spouse, child, parent, brother or sister, a close friend, or a very
grateful stranger.
Cons. Organ donation is major surgery. All surgery comes with
risks such as bleeding, infection, blood clots, allergic reactions,
or damage to nearby organs and tissues.
Although you will have anesthesia during the surgery as a living
donor, you can have pain while you recover. Pain and
discomfort will vary depending on the type of surgery. And you
may have visible, lasting scars from surgery.
It will take some time for your body to recover from surgery. You
might have to miss work until you're fully healed.

Although the recipient's insurance will cover the costs of the

surgery, any medical problems that develop from the transplant
in the future won't be covered. Even your own health insurance
policy might not cover these complications.

What is Organ Donation?

Organ donation is the process of providing a person with

one or more of your organs, tissues, blood, and/or platelets.
Organs for organ donation are removed from a deceased
or living donor for transplantation purposes through a surgical
procedure known as allotransplantations, referring to human to
human transplants or defined as same species to species
transplant.
Xenotransplantation is the transfer of organs/tissues from
a different species to another such as an animal organ
transplant to a human or another species.
Living related donation refers to organ donations from
parents, children, or siblings.
Living unrelated donation refers to organ donations from
spouse, friend, or in-laws, and other acquaintances.
Non-directed donation refers to a donation from a
stranger, unrelated, to the recipient.
For a living donation, the most common and awaited
transplant is the kidney transplant. Other parts of the organs
now being transplanted from living donors include the lung,
liver, and parts of the pancreas.
Organ donation in the United States (U.S.) is governed
by the Uniform Anatomical Gift Act, drafted by the National
Conference of Commissioners on Uniform State Laws.
An individual has the choice to be or not to be a donor
even after passing away.

An average of 30,000 transplants are performed each

year.

Over 100,000 Americans are on the organ waiting list.

The Uniform Anatomical Gift Act of 2006, last revised in

2009, can be accessed from the following
link:http://www.uniformlaws.org/shared/docs/anatomical_gift/ua
ga_final_aug09.pdf
What types of transplants can be included in Organ
Donations?
Organs:

Organ donations cannot be stored and must be used within

hours after removing them from the donors body. Organ
donations from living or deceased humans include the following
in their respective provisions:
- Living Donors: Kidney and parts of the Pancreas, Lung,
Liver, and Intestines.
- Deceased Donors: Kidneys, Lungs, Heart, Liver, Pancreas,
and Intestines.
*Note: In rare cases, a living donor can donate their heart. For
example, if the person has severe lung disease, in which they

would benefit more from a combined heart and lung transplant,

they can donate their heart for the replacement.
Tissue:
Tissue donations must be initiated within 24 hours of donors
death; however, particular tissues can be processed and stored
for extended periods. Tissue donations from living or deceased
humans include the following in their respective provisions:
- Living Donors: Amnion, Skin, Bone, Blood, Marrow, Blood
Stem Cells, and Umbilical Cord Blood.
- Deceased Donors: Corneas, Middle Ear, Skin, Heart Valves,
Bone, Veins, Cartilage, Tendons, and Ligaments.
Blood & Platelets:
Blood and platelets are formed by the body which go through a
life cycle and are continuously replenished. Blood and platelets
can be donated more than once.
- Blood Donation: Safe to donate every 56 days, blood is
stored according to type (A, B, AB, or O) and Rh factor (positive
or negative) in a blood bank, blood can be used whole, or
separated into packed red cells, plasma, and platelets, all of
which have different lifesaving uses.
- Platelets Donation: Safe to donate ever 4 weeks, platelets
are tiny cell fragments that circulate throughout the blood
and aid in blood clotting. Platelets can be donated without
donating blood.
What are the common statistics of Organ Donation?

Up to 25 different organs and tissues can be donated for

transplantation.

For a living donation, the most common is the

kidney. Other parts of the organs now being transplanted from
living donors include the lung, liver, and pancreas.

The organs candidates are waiting for include Kidney

(90,565), Liver (16,067), Heart (3,113), Lung (1,677), the
Pancreas (1,316), and Intestine (274).

In 2012, 62% of living donors were women and 38% were

men. This is nearly reversed for deceased donation, where 60%
were men and 40% were women.

In 2012, 66% of all deceased donors were Caucasian, 17%

were African American, 13% Hispanic/Latino, and 3% Asian,
Native Hawaiian and other Pacific Islander.
How can an individual become an organ donor for
Organ Donations?
An individual can become an organ donor in 3 simple steps
that are outlined below:

*Note: Registering as an organ donor can also entail further

state specific requirements; Please be sure to check with
physicians and state policies for becoming an organ donor.
See www.organdonor.gov for more information.
What are the Pros of Organ Donations?
Saving Lives
According to the United States (U.S.) Department of Health and
Human Services (HHS), 18 patients in need of organ transplants
die daily on average due to the limited availability of organs.
Furthermore, one organ donor can help save up to 8 lives and

even enhance the lives of 50 others. There are currently over

100,000 men, women, and children in the U.S. that are
currently waiting for an organ transplant, in which each
registered organ donor can help save and enhance many lives.
Conclusively, saving lives is a significant advantage of organ
donations that has the potential to affect the lives of many.
Recipient Gratitude
An indirect advantage of organ donations is the gratitude
received from recipients of organs, in which for many donors
can serve as a blessing. Through an organ donation, recipients
are able to return to a normal lifestyle while saving costly
health treatments that they will no longer need. Up to 95% of
patients that received eye related donations were able to fully
see again. Because of organ donors, thousands of people are
able to live fuller and more productive lives. A new patient is
added to the national organ transplant waiting list every 10
minutes. Patients that have received an organ and are off the
waiting list have reported feeling highly blessed and forever
thankful to the donor that brought miracle to their life and
family, as many would not have otherwise survived their illness,
giving them a new chance at life. Conclusively, donating organs
to save and enhance the lives of patients is a significant
advantage for proponents of organ donations as they receive
recipients everlasting gratitude.
Kidney & Partial Lung Recipient Selection
An advantage of organ donations in the United States (U.S.) is
the ability for kidney and partial lung donors to select the
recipient. Organs for human transplant are commonly obtained
through voluntary donation. Although kidney and partial lung
donors may designate particular recipients, organs such as
hearts and lungs donated upon death are assigned to recipients
by the United Network for Organ Sharing (UNOS), which is an
organization established for this purpose in 1984. Conclusively,
the ability for kidney and partial lung donors to select recipients
is a significant advantage as their friends and family may be

the individuals in need of a kidney and/or partial lung that

otherwise would be prioritized based upon the national organ
transplant waiting list.
See Cons for Organ Donor Recipient Selection.
Living Donations
An advantage of organ donations is the ability for living donors
to donate various organs. While organ donors typically give
their vital organs after they die, living individuals can also
donate paired organs such as kidneys. A kidney from a living
donor is easier to monitor as it often functions immediately,
while in some cases kidneys from deceased donors do not
function immediately. Many living donor transplants are also
done between family members that are genetically similar,
which lessens the risk of rejection. Potential donors can also be
tested ahead of time in order to find a donor that is most
compatible with the recipient. Conclusively, the ability for living
donors to donate particular organs is an advantage for awaiting
organ recipients as this increases the possibility for more
organs to become available.
Medical Research
Many people opt to donate their organs or even their entire
bodies towards medical research. Performing experiments on
the donated organs, tissues, and bodies greatly benefits
medical scientists to help find treatments and cures for many
medical conditions like diabetes, cancer, etc. This can further
assist medical practitioners in developing various cures that
can help save lives in the future.
Organ Donor Care & Attention
Many people worry in becoming a registered organ donor as
they fear that medical doctors/surgeons will not attempt their
best to save a donors life in case they were ever to be involved
in a medical emergency. However, this is not true as the organ
donation team is completely different from the emergency
team that would be responsible for saving a life of a patient
involved in a medical emergency regardless of their donor

status. Furthermore, surgeons do not consider any life more

important than another and will do their best to save the
person, organ donor or not, experiencing the medical
emergency as part of their Hippocratic Oath before assuming
their role as a licensed medical doctor.
Donor or Family Does Not Fund Cost
An advantage for organ donors and their families is that all
costs for organ transplants are covered by recipients or the
organ transplant program. According to the United States (U.S.)
Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), the average
cost of organ transplant surgeries can range from $200,000 to
$1.2 million. Although donors are not financially compensated
due to the U.S. Organ Transplant Act that prohibits the sale of
human organs, organ donors and their families may be
compensated for travel and minimal expenses incurred for the
purpose of organ transplant.
Part of You Will Live On
Organ donors can see donating organs in essence of goodwill
and self-gratitude through helping another in need and/or
having a part of themselves to continue living on in goodwill.
Even though others may feel otherwise, it is an advantage for
those that find gratitude in the essence of having a part of their
physical self to continue living on. Many donor families have
also reported finding comfort in knowing that they and their
loved one helped save a life.
Will Not Affect Funeral
An advantage for organ donors that opted in donating their
organs upon their death is that their funeral will not be affected
from the removal of any organs. Qualified surgeons treat the
body of the donor with respect and dignity that are conducted
under sterile conditions. The removal of organs from the bodies
of deceased donors does not disfigure donors body as the
surgical incisions will all be closed, which will not change the
appearance of the donor in an open-casket funeral or
cremation. Conclusively, the removal of organs from organ

donors will remain confidential and will not affect funeral

arrangements.
Act of Social Aid
As there are over 100,000 awaiting various organ donations in
the United States (U.S.), any act in helping another person to
heal, strengthen, or live longer is seen in positive light as act of
social aid. Everyone has the power to save a life and giving the
ultimate gift of life is priceless. Conclusively, becoming an
organ donor and donating an organ is considered highly heroic
as you will not only save a life, but touch the lives of up to 50
people that can be affected from one donor.
Living Donors Federal Assistance
Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA) awarded
a cooperative agreement, in September 2006, to the University
of Michigan to establish a national program to provide
reimbursement of travel and subsistence expenses to living
organ donors who cannot afford these costs. The University of
Michigan in partnership with the American Society of Transplant
Surgeons, in October 2007, launched the National Living Donor
Assistance Center to help donors with travel, lodging, and meal
expenses associated with the organ donation process.
Non-Residents of United States Applicability
Non-resident aliens can both donate and receive organs in the
United States (U.S.) according to U.S. Health & Human Services
(HHS). Organs are given to patients according to medical need,
not citizenship. In 2001, 334 (2.7%) of the 12,375 organ donors
were non-resident aliens. In this same year, 259 (1%) of the
23,998 transplants performed were on non-resident aliens.
Medical Suitability
Medical suitability for donation is determined at the time of
death, which allows donors to be eligible even with previous or
current medical conditions. Transplant professionals will
evaluate the condition of your organs at the time of your death
and determine if your organs are suitable for donation. You
should consider yourself a potential organ and tissue donor,

indicate your intent to donate on your drivers license, donor

card, state donor registry, and discuss your decision with family
members.
Organ Distribution Fairness
Patients are matched to organs based on a number of factors
including blood and tissue typing, medical need, time on the
waiting list, and geographical location.
Unrestricted Age Limitations
There are no age limitations on who can donate. Organ
donations depend on physical conditions rather than age.
Newborns to senior citizens can and have been organ donors.
Organ Donations Timeliness
Time is of the essence for patients in need of organs and for
organs itself. Organs must be transported to recipients as
quickly as possible, since organs can remain healthy only for a
short period after removing it from the donors body. The Organ
Procurement Organizations (OPO) representative makes
arrangements for the organs to get to the hospitals of the
intended recipients. Methods of transportation vary based upon
the distance of organs, in which commercial and private
airplanes, helicopters, and ambulances are used.
Organ Donation Consent Validation
A significant advantage to organ donations is the consent
validation for all, organ and non-organ donors, to ensure
consents and non-consents for organ donations have been
accurately classified. The Organ Procurement Organization
(OPO) representative will search the states donor registry to
see if the deceased had enrolled as a donor. If so, that will
serve as legal consent. If the deceased had not registered and
there was no other legal consent for donation such as a drivers
license indicator, the OPO will seek consent from the next of
kin. Upon obtaining consent, including obtaining the deceaseds
complete medical and social history, the medical evaluation will
continue to progress.

Contacting Donor Family

Transplant centers and Organ Procurement Organizations (OPO)
are required by law to protect the confidentiality of donors and
recipients. Nevertheless, they can arrange for contact between
the families when both sides agree. The process usually begins
with a letter from the recipient to the donor family, sent in care
of the transplant center.
Different centers have different procedures; See Contacting
Donor Family at the following
link:http://www.transplantliving.org/community/patientresources/contacting-your-donor-family/
Iran Organ Transplant Trade
In Iran the practice of selling kidney for profit is deemed legal.
Iran currently has no waiting lists for kidney transplants. Kidney
sales are legal and regulated, in which the Charity Association
for the Support of Kidney Patients (CASKP) and the Charity
Foundation for Special Diseases (CFSD) control the trade of
organs with the support of the government. The organizations
match donors to recipients by setting up tests to ensure
compatibility. The amounts paid to the donor vary in Iran but
the average figures range from $1,200 to $1,400 for kidney
donations.
See Kidneys on Demand at the following
link: http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC1819484/
Xenotransplantation Research
Xenotransplantation is currently being research, in which
organs are transplanted from one species to another. Current
studies have suggested pigs are a good source for organ
donors. This is an advantage as substantial decrease could be
seen in the number of waiting patients in need for organs, if
xenotransplantation is an option that can be exercised.
What are the Cons of Organ Donations?
Diabetes Development
Diabetes is a serious illness that may have greater risks in

people that have had an organ transplant. Diabetes raises the

danger of organ rejection, dangerous infections, and death. One
review of studies suggested that diabetes could occur in more
than 1 out of 10 people that get a transplant. Many of the drugs
used to suppress the immune system such as the medication
Prograf (tacrolimus) or corticosteroids may cause diabetes or
worsen diabetes.
Donor Organ Wait
Waiting for a donor organ can be a stressful experience,
especially since the wait time is unknown and may change from
the average median national waiting time due to adequately
matching recipients and donors to ensure a successful organ
transplant. The median national wait in the United States (U.S.)
for each organ is outlined below:

Organ Donor Recipient Selection

Organs such as hearts and lungs donated upon death are
assigned to recipients by the United Network for Organ Sharing
(UNOS), an organization established for this purpose in 1984.
Organs are distributed according to a national waiting list
without preferential treatment related to race, religion, gender,
or financial status. Since the donor does not get to choose who
their organs go to with the exception of kidney and partial lung
transplants, this may be a concern for people that feel
uncomfortable with their organs going to someone of a
different gender, religion, class, faith, etc.
Donor Ventilator Life Support
The ventilator or life support machine provides oxygen to the
donor that keeps the heart beating and blood circulating after

death. Some people felt that donor families should be told

beforehand that their loved one would still be warm and
breathing upon visitation, as the ventilator keeps the body
supplied with oxygen so that the heart can carry on beating
and circulating blood. This preserves the organs so they can be
adequately transplanted. When the ventilator is turned off,
usually within minutes before taken to the transplant surgery
room, the heart stops beating and switching off the ventilator
or life support machine has been traumatic for some donor
families.
Transplant Rejection
There is no short or long-term guarantee that the organ donor
will have a successful outcome after the organ transplant.
Transplant rejection is a process where a transplant recipients
immune system attacks the transplanted organ or tissue. The
recipients immune system may recognize the transplanted
organ to be foreign, which happens when the immune system
detects antigens on the cells of the organ are different and not
matched.
Mismatched organs may trigger a blood transfusion reaction or
transplant rejection. There are 3 types of transplant rejections
outlined below:

Surgery Complications for Donor

The transplant system is mostly focused on the recipients
acceptance of the transplanted organ, in which primary focuses
are on the removal, storage, transport, and transplant of the
donated organ. A small fraction of donors have reported lack of
care from medical professionals; in which, donors have incurred
lifelong health and financial problems in remediating further
complications caused from the organ transplant.
For living organ donations, all complications of a major surgery
apply that may include infection, blood clots, hemorrhaging,
potential side effects, or damage to nearby organs and tissues.
Organ transplant surgeries encompass various potential risks
and complications, short and long-term, which should be
discussed in depth with personal doctors and transplant teams.
See Organ Donor Risks and Complications at the following link:
http://www.transplantliving.org/living-donation/being-a-livingdonor/risks/

Lack of Measurable Donors Data

Living kidney donations have been successfully performed
since the 1950s, but it was not until 2006 that the United
Network for Organ Sharing (UNOS) began requesting transplant
center to report on the health status of their donors. According
to reports by the Organ Procurement and Transplantation
Network (OPTN), transplant centers averagely have lost track of
more than one-third of their donors 1 year after their donations
and two-thirds of their donors by 2 years.
Furthermore, only few centers report any laboratory results on
their donors and some centers even consistently fail to report
any data at all. Some argue that the cost of tracking down all of
their donors while maintaining their records is very expensive.
The lack of measureable donor data puts donors at risk in
preventing or correcting further medical transplant
complications and risks that may be developed overtime.
Surgery Complications for Recipient
The organ recipient may face surgical complications as the
transplanted organ may not work right away, while there is a
chance the organ will not function at all. Recipient
complications may cause future problems and/or fatalities.
Kidneys from deceased donors may not function immediately,
causing the patient to be placed on dialysis until the kidney
starts to function naturally with the recipients body.
Conclusively, there is risk of rejection from the transplanted
organ, risk of infection, risk of side effects, as well as
complications due to any general anesthesia.
Recovery & Costs
Organ transplants take time for the body to recover from
surgery that may cause costs to arise during the recovery
period. Costs directly and indirectly related to the transplant
may occur in essence of time lost from work, treatment
expenses, medicine costs, and additional post-care costs.
Surgical Side Effects
Organ donors and recipients may also develop visible lasting

scars from surgery. Anesthesia used during surgery may cause

individuals to experience pain and discomfort. Prescribed
medicines taken pre or post-transplant surgery may vary in
reactions and effectiveness.
Psychological Effects on Living Donors
A number of living donors can experience post-surgical
depression. According to Diagnostics and Statistical Manual of
Mental Disorders (DSM IV), symptoms can include feelings of
sadness or emptiness, reduced interest in activities that were
once enjoyable, sleep disturbances including insomnia or
excessive sleeping, loss of energy or fatigue, difficulty
concentrating or making decisions, and/or suicidal thoughts. In
the first 6 to 8 weeks after donation, common symptoms organ
donors may experience include low energy, fatigue, lethargy,
and excessive sleep due to the immune systems attempt in
healing and adjusting to the new physiology.
See Depression in Living Organ Donors at the following
link: http://www.livingdonor101.com/depression.shtml
Emotional Impact on Recipient
Organ recipients have reported emotional impacts pre and
post-transplant, in which some feel relieved while most report
an accumulation of stress from their organ conditions returning.
Additionally, physiological experts believe guilt is a common
reaction people have after a transplant, as patients often report
thinking excessively about the donor and feeling guilty about
benefitting from the death of the donor.
Organ Commercial Trade
The United States (U.S.) National Organ Transplant Act prohibits
the sale of human organs for transplantation and violators of
this law are subjected to fines up to $50,000 and 5 years in U.S.
federal prison. This may be a disadvantage for those that wish
to receive an incentive for donating their healthy organs, as
there could potentially be a lot more people willing to give
away their organs if they were to receive compensation. Buying

and selling of organs are illegal in most countries but legal in

Iran with specific provisions.
See Financial Incentives Should Be Used to Increase Organ
Donation at the following
link: http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2766511/
Living Donor Constraints
Having a serious condition like cancer, Human
Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV), diabetes, kidney disease, or
heart disease can prevent individuals from donating as a living
donor. A medical assessment will be done to determine what
organs can be donated after death. Certain conditions, such as
having HIV, actively spreading cancer, or severe infection would
exclude organ donation from the deceased.
Black-Market Organ Trade
Numerous organ trade rackets have been caught by various
legal authorities to date, while a number of them thrive
worldwide. The imbalance in the ratio of available organs in
comparison to the number of patients in need of organs is seen
as the cause for such trades.
Total Body Donation & Organ Donor
Total body donation generally is not an option when choosing to
also be an organ and tissue donor. Eye donors still may be
accepted. Additionally, there are a few medical schools and
research organizations that still may accept an organ donor for
research. Individuals wishing to donate entire body should
contact the medical organization of choice directly and make
arrangements. Medical schools, research facilities, and other
agencies study bodies to understand how disease affects
human beings. This research is vital to saving and improving
lives.

Why Be an Organ Donor?

The need for organ donors has never been greater. In the
United States, there are more than 120,000 people are

currently in need of organ transplants. And each year,

thousands of people die while waiting for a transplant because
no suitable donor can be found for them. But, you can help.
REGISTER NOW
Benefits of Organ Donation
Perhaps you are considering becoming an organ donor, but are
not completely sure why you should. There are many benefits
of organ donation, for all parties involved.
You Can Help Save Lives and Make a Difference
Here in New York. there are over 10,000 people waiting for
an organ transplant. By signing up today, you can help save
lives! Did you know that just ONE organ donor can save
up to EIGHT lives?
For Transplant Recipients
A second chance. For organ donor recipients, a
transplant often means a second chance at life.
Improved quality of life. For some, an organ transplant
means no longer having to be dependent on costly routine
treatments to survive. It allows many recipients to return to a
normal lifestyle. For others, an eye or tissue transplant means
the ability to see again or the recovery of mobility and freedom
from pain.
For Donors and Their Families
The ability to comfort grieving families. It is always
difficult to lose a loved one. Many grieving families of organ
donors can take comfort in the fact that their loss may help to
save or improve the lives of others.
The power to save lives. Registering to be an organ
donor is a charitable act that costs nothing. It allows a donor to
save up to eight lives through organ donation, and to save or
improve the lives of up to 50 recipients through tissue and eye
donation.
- See more at: http://www.donatelifeny.org/about-donation/whybe-an-organ-donor/#sthash.ry8j6VBi.dpuf

One organ donor can save up to eight lives. The same donor
can also save or improve the lives of up to 50 people by
donating tissues and eyes. More than 120,000 people in the
United States are waiting for organ transplants. [Solid Organs:

Hearts, kidneys, pancreases, lungs, livers and intestines]. Of

these, more than 10,000 live right here, in the greater New York
metropolitan area. On average, 18 people die every day while
waiting for organ transplants in the U.S., and every 10 minutes,
another name is added to the waiting list. In New York State,
someone dies every 15 hours waiting for an organ transplant.
Each year, more than one million people need lifesaving and
life-improving tissues, and eyes. [Tissues: Heart valves,
cardiovascular tissue, bone and soft musculoskeletal tissue,
and skin.] - See more at: http://www.donatelifeny.org/aboutdonation/quick-facts-about-donation/#sthash.tv6bW0z9.dpuf
What Is a Living Donor?
Because the number of organs donated by deceased donors is
not enough to meet the needs of patients awaiting organ
transplants, people sometimes offer to donate an organ or part
of an organ to a loved one or friend. This is what is known as
being a living donor.
Living organ donation is possible because certain organs are
able to either regenerate themselves, or continue to function
well when a section is removed. Transplant teams throughout
the country have developed new techniques and procedures to
save more patients' lives through living donor transplants.
Living donations are handled by each individual transplant
center where the recipient is waiting.
It is currently possible for a living person to donate:

a kidney
a portion of the liver
a lobe of a lung
a portion of the intestine
in some rare instances, a portion of their pancreas
Currently, living organ donors account for almost half (45%) of
all organ donation in the United States.

How Do I Become a Living Donor?

Any healthy adult can become a living donor, regardless of race
or gender. This means they must be relatively physically fit and
free from chronic diseases such as diabetes, cancer and heart
disease. The donor's blood type must also be compatible with
that of the intended recipient. Potential living donors are
carefully considered in terms of fully understanding the
physical and psychological risks that come with being a living
donor.
What Are Living Donor Kidney Exchange Programs?
Family members or friends often offer to donate a kidney to
patients. However, up to 35 percent of the time they are
excluded because of biological incompatibility. Under various
kidney exchange programs, individuals who are unable to
donate a kidney to their intended recipients due to
incompatibility are exchanged to form compatible pairs. The
transplants are performed simultaneously. Kidney Exchange
Programs are performed at certain New York transplant centers.
They should be contacted directly for further information.
- See more at: http://www.donatelifeny.org/aboutdonation/living-organ-donation/#sthash.zdSCVo7B.dpuf

Types of donation
There are three different ways of donating an organ. These are
known as:
donation after brain stem death
donation after circulatory death
living organ donation
These are described below.

Donation after brain stem death

Most organ donors are patients who die as a result of a brain
haemorrhage, severe head injury or stroke and are on a
ventilator in a hospital intensive care unit (ICU). These donors
are called donation after brain stem death donors.
Death is diagnosed by brain stem tests. There are very strict
standards for doing these tests and they're always carried out
by two experienced doctors.
A ventilator provides oxygen, which keeps the heart beating
and blood circulating after death. Organs such as hearts, lungs
and livers can be donated by a DBD donor.
Donation after circulatory death
Patients who die in hospital but aren't on a ventilator can
donate their kidneys and, in certain circumstances, other
organs. They're called donors after circulatory death.
In these cases, the organs must be removed within a few
minutes of the heart stopping to prevent them being damaged
by a lack of oxygenated blood.
Both types of donors can donate their corneas and other tissue.
Living organ donation
Living organ donation usually involves one family member
donating an organ to another family member or partner. The
relative is usually related by blood a parent, brother, sister, or
child.
It's also now possible to be an altruistic donor. Altruistic donors
are unrelated to the patient but become donors as an act of
personal generosity.
Kidneys are often donated from living donors as a healthy
person can lead a normal life with only one kidney.

Organ donation is where a person donates their organs

for transplant.
There are two types of organ donation: living and deceased.
Donated organs are given to someone who has damaged
organs that need to be replaced.
An organ transplant may save a person's life or significantly
improve their health and quality of life.

IS ORGAN DONATION NECESSARY OR NOT ?

As being one of the most important issues about peoples lives,
organ donation has a crucial place in our lives. Since the first
operation of this, there have been many discussions about
whether the organs should be donated or not. Organ donation
can be defined as the removal of an organ from a human who
has recently died, to transform it another one who is in need of
it, or from a living donor for the purpose of transplanting;
although this is a very important decision to save a life, there
still be some questions like; Should there be organ donations or
not? and people have different views about this issue.
Therefore, I am going to give these opponent thoughts about
organ donation.
As I have mentioned before, organ donation is a life saving
operation; but, although opponents of organ donation know
this, they have some opposite thoughts about this. They think
that organ donation can have some negative sides; and one
can classify their thoughts as; religious issues, worries about
the age and hospitals treatment while they are making the
operation and the families who think that their loved relatives
bodies are salvaged for parts at the time of donation. First of
all, they think that organ donation is against their religion; but
are the religions really against this; which is a saving of ones
life ? Secondly, the opponents of organ donation think that they
are too old or too young to make an organ donation, so they
decide not to donate their organs; but is the age really an

important factor for donation? Also, the people have some fears
about the treatment of hospital while they are donating their
organs; for example, they worry that at the time of the
donation, the other organs of them can be affected negatively;
they think that while they are trying to save someones life,
they may endanger their own healths. Thirdly, people;
especially families or relatives of a dead one have difficulties
to give the loved relatives organs and they think that the body
of the dead one will be cut into pieces while the operation is
being made; but, is it a good reaction while a lot of people are
waiting for their loved ones survival? Consequently, on surface
structure, organ donations seem to be precarious
circumstances; but, are they really like this? or are these only
the needless results of the lacking of information about this
issue?
Unlike the opponents of organ donation, supporters of it have
reasonable causes to support this. First of all, they are aware
that this is one of the most important ways of saving ones life.
They see this as a social responsibility. The supporters of organ
donation are aware of the situations of both sick person and his
family; for example, there are a lot of people who are waiting
for the proper organ for their treatment. According to the
supporters, this is the second life chance for these people, also
there a lot of people who die while they are waiting for
donation. The supporters think that organ donation is proper for
their religions as well; because, saving ones life is very
important for the religions. Also they are aware that the bodies
of the donors are not cut into pieces at the time of the
operation; because, only limited organs of the body can be
transformed like; kidneys, heart, liver, pancreas, intestines,
lungs and cornea. Also, those who have enough information
about this issue know that these operations are made by
experienced experts; so there is nothing to worry about. To
conclude, there are many good effects of making an organ
donation; above all of the things, you can save ones life and
you can make more than one person live with your organs; I

think this can be the most important cause to declare organ

donation as a very necessary issue.
As a conclusion, I want you to imagine that one morning you
wake up and find out that you are moving for a holiday and you
have a closet filled with clothes which are new but useless for
you in your holiday, what would you do with these clothes?
Would you throw them out or would you leave them behind for
someone else to use? Organ donation is something like that;
you can make people happy with your decision and make them
live their second life instead of bringing your organs with you
when you are dead. By making organ donation you can be a
hope for sick people. Organ donation is not made if your organ
is necessary for you or your decision does not affect the
attitudes of doctors towards you. Also it is not against your faith
and your body will not be cut into pieces. Therefore, organ
donation is very necessary and people should be informed
about this issue.
As of September 21, 2009, approximately 103,700 people in
the United States were waiting on an organ donation. During
the six-month period prior to this, only 7,250 received an organ
donation according to United Networking for Organ Sharing
data. At this rate it will take 15 years just to get through the
people on this list, without adding anyone new. If more teen
drivers were to agree to become organ donors, many additional
lives could be saved. Teen drivers should become organ donors
because it is simple, the organs can be used instead of wasted,
and they can assist in saving lives.
When you think about becoming an organ donor you
undoubtedly begin to think about treacherous paper work. In
reality, this is not the case at all. You are simply asked to
respond to one question, yes or no. Every student receiving a
permit or license has the opportunity to become an organ
donor. The simple yes or no question is asked at the same time
that you submit your name, gender and height. It may seem
morbid that you are deciding the future of your organs at a
seconds notice, but when you learn about the pros and cons

beforehand, you can feel confident in your answer and have

complete faith in the commitment you are making.
When someone is in need of an organ, they take what they can
get. Although it is uncomfortable to think about, the organs of a
teenage driver would be more beneficial to an organ recipient
than the organs of an adult. This is because teens tend to be in
better physical health than adults. Being a donor would help
ensure that your healthy organs were sent to someone in
desperate need. The person receiving the organs would have a
much better use for them than you would have had for them in
your grave, just as a perfectly decent light bulb has no use in a
broken lamp. Being an organ donor does not mean you are
expected to die any time soon. Being an organ donor does not
mean that you will be certain to save a life. Being an organ
donor means you are willing to give the working parts of your
body, no longer of any use to you, to someone else in order to
improve, or possibly save, their life.
When you become an organ donor, you become a hero! Infants,
adults, children, and other teens can be saved from the help of
organ donors each and every day. Up to 60 organs from each
donor can be transplanted to save lives, improve lives, and
change lives forever. Your name may not be given to the
receiver of your organs, but they will think about the person
that just said yes and let them either continue to live, or live
under more preferred circumstances. Your life on Earth would
be over, but you would be remembered; you would be
remembered as a hero.
By opening your eyes to becoming an organ donor, I hope you
can now see how simple and sensible it can be to save lives.
With your assistance, it is possible that someday one or more of
the 103,700 lives desperately waiting on a list to survive will
have their dreams fulfilled. Organ donation would not interrupt
any attempt to save your life before your death, nor would it
interrupt plans for an open casket funeral. So how will you reply
when asked to become an organ donor? Will your answer be,
yes, I will simply give my healthy organs to save a life, or
no, I will take my organs with me to rot in my grave?

Pendermaan Organ Sebagai Sedekah jariah

Menurut ulama terkenal, Syeikh Yusof al-Qaradhawi,
pendermaan organ terangkum di bawah satu daripada tiga
amalan yang akan memberikan pahala berterusan selepas
seseorang itu meninggal dunia. Beliau mengkategorikan
perbuatan menderma organ sebagai sedekah jariah. Beliau
juga berhujah mengenai keharusan pendermaan organ dengan
mengatakan bahawa daripada dibiarkan jasad dimamah tanah
selepas kematian, adalah lebih baik organ yang boleh
digunakan itu didermakan bagi tujuan menyelamatkan nyawa
orang lain.
Majlis Fatwa Kebangsaan sejak 23 Jun 1970 menetapkan garis
panduan tertentu yang mengharuskan pendermaan dilakukan
iaitu:
* Pemindahan organ boleh dilakukan selepas tiada pilihan atau
jalan akhir untuk menyelamatkan seseorang yang organnya
tidak berfungsi.
* Penderma atau pengikrar organ sudah disahkan meninggal
dunia.
* Kebenaran diperoleh daripada ahli keluarga si mati.
* Tidak ada unsur perdagangan atau jual beli bagi organ itu.
Keputusan Lujnah Fatwa (Jawatankuasa Syariah)
1. Pemindahan atau pendermaan organ adalah haram dalam
keadaan bukan darurat, manakala hukumnya harus dalam
keadaan darurat.
2. Orang yang mati otak adalah dihukumkan mati.
Pemindahan organ ada dua keadaan iaitu:
i) Keadaan penderma masih hidup
* Menjalankan kajian perubatan dengan cara terperinci dan
profesional tentang kebaikan dan keburukan pemindahan ini,
kejayaan dan kegagalan pemindahan.
* Dengan reda penderma, tanpa paksaan.
* Sudah dipastikan pemindahan itu berjaya pada kebiasaannya.
* Keadaan darurat yang mendesak bagi menyelamatkan nyawa
orang yang didermakan kepadanya, terutama yang ada
hubungan nasab dan keluarga.
* Organ yang dipindahkan bukan dijadikan dagangan dan jual

beli, dagangan dan jual beli hanya akan mengundang

perbuatan khianat yang memberi mudarat kepada penerima,
memberi keuntungan kepada orang tengah dan juga
kesempatan kepada doktor-doktor yang tidak
bertanggungjawab mengaut keuntungan.
* Kebenaran bertulis daripada penderma dan penderma
dibolehkan menarik balik pada bila-bila masa.
ii) Keadaan penderma yang telah mati
* Menjalankan pemeriksaan perubatan dengan cara terperinci
dan profesional tentang kebaikan dan keburukan pemindahan
ini, kejayaan dan kegagalan pemindahan, ia memerlukan
pemeriksaan rapi.
* Dengan reda penderma, melalui wasiat ataupun waris-waris
dan perakuan daripada kerajaan.
* Sudah dipastikan pemindahan itu berjaya pada kebiasaannya
atau dalam erti kata lain, pemindahan itu dijamin berjaya.
* Dilakukan pemindahan itu dengan penuh disiplin ilmu, iman
dan takwa, penghormatan yang sewajarnya kepada si mati
mengikut hukum syarak serta tiada unsur-unsur penghinaan.
* Keadaan darurat yang mendesak bagi menyelamatkan nyawa
orang yang didermakan kepadanya, terutama yang ada
hubungan nasab dan keluarga.
* Organ yang dipindahkan bukan dijadikan dagangan dan jual
beli, hanya akan mengundang perbuatan jenayah yang
memberi mudarat kepada penerima, memberi keuntungan
kepada orang tengah dan juga kesempatan kepada doktordoktor yang tidak bertanggungjawab mengaut keuntungan.
Mati otak
* Menjalankan pemeriksaan perubatan dengan cara
professional tentang berlakunya mati otak.
* Digalakkan mendapat persetujuan dari keluarga terdekat dari
suami, anak, ibu dan bapa.
* Perakuan tentang berlakunya mati otak hendaklah dilakukan
oleh sekurang-kurangnya tiga doktor profesional (doktor Islam
diutamakan).
* Sekiranya dengan kecanggihan rawatan perubatan (sains dan
teknologi) boleh mengubat, maka suasana ini gugur.