DID YOU KNOW that everyone has the power to say “yes” to saving eight lives through organ donation and healing 125 more through tissue donation?
Life Connection of Ohio is the non-profit organization that has promoted and facilitated organ donation in northwest and west central Ohio for more than 30 years. Life Connection of Ohio educates the community about the importance of donation; partners with 71 hospitals and medical facilities to coordinate donation; and offers grief support to families before, during, and after donation.
Less than two percent of people die in a way that allows organ donation to be possible, so Life Connection of Ohio is focused on maximizing every gift. Organs that can be donated after death include the heart, kidneys, liver, lungs, pancreas, and small intestine. Tissues that can be donated after death include bone, corneas, heart valves, ligaments, skin, tendons, and veins.
Hospitals contact Life Connection of Ohio to provide notification of every death. The organ recovery coordinator on call receives information about the person and determines whether they are medically suitable for organ, eye, and/ or tissue donation. If so, the coordinator obtains the person’s wishes from the Ohio Donor Registry, if available, and the family services coordinator on call consults the family. If the person’s wishes are not available, the family services coordinator offers the opportunity for donation to the family.
If the decision is made for donation, the person’s medical/social history, blood tests, and other medical evaluations are coordinated to determine which organs and/ or tissues can be donated, and the matching process begins. Once recipients are identified, the organ recovery coordinator arranges for the surgical recovery of organs and/or tissues. The end result: A donor hero is honored for their generosity, a family is supported through Life Connection of Ohio’s aftercare program, and recipients receive second chances at life.
Although the community is largely supportive of organ, eye, and tissue donation, there are some misconceptions about donation. Here are the facts:
Will doctors try to save my life if I am a registered donor?
Yes. Every effort will be made to save someone’s life, regardless of their choice to donate. The medical staff dedicated to saving lives at hospitals is separate from those who coordinate donation. It is only after all life-saving efforts have been exhausted that donation becomes an option.
Can I still have a viewing if I donate?
Yes. The organ recovery surgery is a very careful, respectful procedure, and if an open-casket funeral was possible before donation, it should be possible afterward.
Is my religion against donation?
Probably not. All major religions in the United States either encourage donation, viewing it as a generous last act of charity, or leave the decision up to the individual.
Can rich or famous people buy their way to the top of the waiting list?
No. The national transplant waiting list exists because everyone must wait on it, regardless of wealth or celebrity status. The only way to move to the top of the waiting list is to be extremely sick.
Will there be a cost to my family if I donate?
No. All costs associated with donation are the responsibility of the organ and/or tissue recovery organization. A donor family is only responsible for hospital charges until death is declared and for funeral expenses.
Am I too old or too sick to donate?
Not necessarily. The oldest organ donor was 92, and people with histories of diabetes, cancer, and other diseases have still been able to give the gift of life. It is important to register as a donor regardless of age or health conditions, as medical professionals will determine whether someone’s organs and tissues are healthy enough to transplant after death.
The reality is that nearly 110,000 people are waiting for life-saving organ transplants in the United States, including more than 3,000 Ohioans. A new name is added to the national transplant waiting list every 10 minutes, and 20 people die every day waiting for an organ transplant. The good news: Everyone has the power to say “yes” to saving eight lives through organ donation and healing 125 more through tissue donation.
To learn more about organ, eye and tissue donation or to register as a donor, visit lifeconnection.org.
Kara Steele is Director of Community Services for Life Connection of Ohio.
