Benefits of organ, tissue transplants

AS many as 10 to 15 people can be saved if just one person were to donate his tissues or
organs, said Ipoh Hospital organ donation resource centre staff nurse H’ng Phaik Yong.

H’ng said hospitals were having a major problem finding donors due to a lack of understanding
from the family members of those who had pledged their tissues and organs.

She said that anxious kin often refused to let hospitals take the organs of a loved one after death
although they had been pledged.

“If the public only realised how many lives could be saved through transplants, many more people
would say yes,” she said during a donation campaign at the Sri Subramaniam Temple in Gunung
Cheroh, Ipoh, recently.

Seven people pledged their organs and 32 donated blood during the campaign held in
conjunction with a Mother’s Day celebration organised by the Sri Sathya Sai Baba Ipoh Centre.

H’ng said youths below the age of 17 could also pledge their organs as long as they had their
parents’ consent.

Those who wish to pledge their organs can visit the Ipoh Hospital’s organ donation resource
centre during office hours or call 05-5222324 for more information.

The Sri Sathya Sai Baba Ipoh Centre also gave out school uniforms and shoes to 275 needy
students from 17 schools in Kinta.

Intro
Through the miracle of transplantation, many of our friends, neighbors, and family are living
healthy, productive lives. However, the need for donated organs and tissues continues to outpace
the supply. Right now, there are thousands of people who could be helped if more of us were to
become organ and tissue donors. Organ and tissue donations provide each of us with a special
opportunity to help others.
There’s no greater gift than the gift of life, and through the donation of vital
organs and tissues, each one of us has the power to save lives when no other hope is available.

A. Organs such as the heart, lungs, liver, kidneys, pancreas, and small intestines, and tissues
such as skin, bones, and eyes are needed for donation. Umbilical cord blood, placenta and bone
marrow are additional tissues needed for donation. One organ donor can save the lives of eight
people and enhance the lives of 50 to 100 more.

Matching organs between members of the same ethnic or racial group often enhances the
success of kidney transplantation. Approximately one-third of the individuals waiting for kidney
transplants are African-American. Why? African Americans are 17 times more likely than
Caucasians to develop hypertension, which can lead to eventual kidney failure. Also, a higher
incidence of hypertension and diabetes among Native Americans increases the risk of kidney
failure for this segment of the population, too.
Q. What are the benefits of organ donation?
A. Families who decide to donate often find that it helps them through their grieving process.
They receive great comfort from being able to have something positive come from the death of a
loved one. For recipients, organ transplants offer a second chance at life, enabling them and their
families to maintain a more normal, higher quality of life.

Q. Can anyone become an organ donor?

A. Anyone can be an organ and tissue donor regardless of age or previous illness. The
acceptability of the donation is determined at the time of the donor's death.

Q. What can I do if a member of my family becomes a potential organ donor?

A. If no one on the medical team suggests organ donation, you, as the next-of-kin, should inform
the medical staff of your and your loved ones wishes. Organs will be removed if they are made
aware your loved one had a donor card, or if there is written permission from the family.

Q. Who is considered my next-of-kin?

A. The following prioritized list determines who can give permission for donation: spouse, adult
son or daughter, either parent, adult brother or sister, grandparent, or legal guardian.

Q. Will there ever be a choice between saving my life and using my tissues and organs for
transplantation?
A. No. Donation occurs only after all efforts to save your life have been exhausted and death has
been legally declared.

Q. Who will receive my vital organs and tissues?

A. Vital organs are given to people who urgently need them. Blood type, tissue types, and body
size determine who will receive the donation.

Q. Can I specify who will get my organs and tissues?

A. Yes. You can leave your organs and tissues to specific people (if they meet medical criteria),
but you may not leave organs and tissues to a specific race, creed, religion, etc.

Q. Can I change my mind later?

A. Yes. Simply tell your nearest relative or legal guardian and have your driver's license changed
at the nearest Florida driver’s license office.

Q. Is there any cost if I decide to become a tissue and organ donor?

A. No. There is absolutely no cost to you or your family if you become a tissue/organ donor.

Q. Can I limit the tissues and organs I donate?

A. Yes. Simply write in which tissues and organs you wish to donate on the registration form.

Q. Can people under the age of 18 be donors?

A. Yes, but your custodial parent or legal guardian must sign as a witness on the registration
form and give consent at the time of death.

Q. Will tissue and organ donation affect funeral arrangements?

A. No. Removal of tissues or organs will not interfere with customary funeral arrangements.

Q. What are the criteria for becoming an organ donor?

A. Organs can be donated only after a person has been declared brain dead and while their vital
organs are being maintained on a breathing machine. Age criteria is evaluated on an individual
basis. Under specific conditions a patient who does not meet brain death criteria that is being
withdrawn from life support may be considered suitable for kidney and liver donation. This type of
donation is called "non-heart beating donation

Q. Should my age or health condition influence my decision to become an organ donor?

A. No. While medical history and age are factors, most people CAN donate. People with diabetes,
hepatitis, and cancer sometimes CAN donate their organs. The only individuals who cannot
donate are those who test positive for the HIV virus.

Q. Is there a main registry for organ donors?

A. No. There is no official organ donor registry. Although there are a few "registries" in existence
in the United States, these are utilized as tools to promote donation awareness. Organ recovery
agencies have computer access to the DMV and certain other registries. However, patients
awaiting organ transplants do have a main registry to assist with organ distribution process.

Q. How are organs distributed to patients waiting for organ transplants?

A. Every person waiting for an organ transplant is registered with UNOS, the United Network for
Organ Sharing. UNOS manages the computerized network to match organ donors with waiting
recipients. Medical information about the organ donor is input into a computer database that
creates a match list of potential recipients. Matching is based solely upon medical criteria such as
blood type, weight, size of the organ, length of time waiting for a transplant, and severity of the
illness. Genetic (tissue) matching is also a key factor for kidney and pancreas transplants.

Q. Can human organs be bought or sold in the United States?

A. No. According to the Uniform Anatomical Gift Act of 1968, human organ cannot be bought or
sold. In addition, a national governing body reviews every organ donation and transplant. This
prevents any type of human organ "black market" from operating in the United States.

Q. Do any organs go to waste?

A. No. Donated organs are "matched" with transplant recipients before they are removed for
transplant. Extensive tests before surgery determine which organs can be recovered, however,
physicians can't always tell if the organ is suitable until surgery takes place. If the organ is
unsuitable for transplantation at the time of the donation, the organ is not recovered from the
donor.

Q. Are organs used for research?

A. Yes. If an organ cannot be used for transplantation, it may be useful for research. Research
often helps the medical community in its effort to find cures for diseases such as cancer and
diabetes. Written permission from the next-of-kin must be obtained for research.

Q. How do family members respond when the possibility of organ donation is discussed at
the time of a loved one's death?
A. Grief-stricken family members have often said their sorrow has been eased by the knowledge
that their personal tragedy gave new life to another person, and that it provided some meaning to
an otherwise senseless death. Many more families today are raising the issue of organ donation
themselves because they are aware of its lifesaving value.

Q. What is "brain death"?

A. "Brain death" is death. It occurs when the brain and the brain stem stop functioning. The brain
is an organ like all the other organs in the body. It requires a steady blood supply to deliver the
oxygen and nutrients it needs to do its work. When the brain cells do not receive enough oxygen
or nutrients, they die. Once the brain cells die, there is no chance for recovery. A person can only
become an organ donor if he or she dies from a brain death injury (for example, trauma to the
head from a bike or motor vehicle accident, a ruptured blood vessel in the brain, or drowning).
Cardiac death is different than brain death. Cardiac death happens when the heart and lungs stop
functioning. People who die from cardiac death cannot donate their organs except under specific
conditions because a lack of oxygen has caused their organs to deteriorate. However, eye and
tissue donation are options.

Q. Is brain death the same as a coma or vegetative state?

A. No. A person in a coma or vegetative state still has some brain activity and, therefore, has not
died.

Q. Why must artificial life support continue after brain death has been determined?
A. The respirator or breathing machine provides oxygen to the organs, keeping them healthy until
they are removed for transplant.

Q. How long can organs be preserved for transplantation after their removal?
A. Once the organs have been removed, they are cooled and preserved. Organs can be
preserved for varying amounts of time: hearts and lungs — 6 hours; liver, pancreas, and
intestines — 24 hours; and kidney — 48 hours.

Patients today benefit from recent advances in transplant medicine. They have more
options for care than existed as recently as 10 years ago.

But without organ donors — people who have designated their consent to donate
vital organs after death — nothing can be done for thousands of patients whose only
hope lies in the forethought and generosity of others whom they may never meet.

One donor can save up to eight lives and enhance the lives of 50 others.
Organ donation gives life and costs nothing.