Questions and Answers About Organ Donation
Questions & Answers about Organ and Tissue Donation and Transplantation
There are over 28,000 organ transplants performed in the United States every year. 1,000,000 tissue transplants are performed annually as well. Unbelievably, one organ and tissue donor can save or improve the lives of as many as 50 individuals!
Q. How do I become a donor?
A. When receiving or renewing a Connecticut driver's license or ID card, you will be asked if you wish to become an organ and tissue donor. The information you provide goes into a donor registry database accessible by the organ procurement organization (OPO). If you answer "YES", this is legal consent/or donation. If you are under the age of 18, you may still designate your intentions, but next-of-kin consent must be obtained for donation to occur. You may also sign a uniform donor card, but if you are under 18, at least one parent or legal guardian must be a co-signer. A card may be obtained by contacting LifeChoice Donor Services and is also located on the back of your Connecticut driver's license. Although it does not enter you into the registry, a signed donor card is also legal consent/or donation! Be sure to tell your family about your decision.
Q. What are OPOs?
A. OPOs are organizations that coordinate activities related to organ and tissue donation for transplant in a designated service area. OPOs are responsible for evaluating potential donors, discussing donation with family members, and arranging for the procurement procedure. Facilitating the placement of organs, providing preservation services, and arranging organ transportation are also responsibilities of the OPO.
Q. What can be donated?
A. Organs that may be donated following death include: heart, liver, lungs, kidneys, pancreas, and small intestine. Corneas, skin, bone, heart valves, connective tissue and blood vessels are all examples of tissues that can be donated after cardiac death. Total body donation for medical research and education is also an option.
Q. What is brain death?
A. Brain death is the complete and irreversible cessation of all brain function. It can occur following a catastrophic brain injury such as a cerebral hemorrhage or trauma to the head. In such cases, the heart and lungs can continue to function temporarily with artificial respiratory assist, allowing the organs to remain viable for donation. Standards for the determination of brain death are very strict, and death based on the absence of brain function is legally recognized in every state and is an accepted medical and ethical principle.
Q. Can I register as a donor without actually going to the Department of Motor Vehicle or AAA office?
A. Yes! If you are a Connecticut license or Identification card holder, you can visit the Connecticut Department of Motor Vehicle website and print out the change of address/donor status form or click here . Simply update your donation status by filling out the form, mail it to the DMV and you're registered! The DMV will then mail you a "heart" sticker to affix to your license. Or click here to access direct on-line registration.
Q. Is there any cost to the donor or their family for organ and tissue donation?
A. No. Neither the donor nor their family pays for or receives payment for organ or tissue donation. All costs directly associated with donation are paid by the OPO.
Q. Will efforts to save my life be lessened if the hospital staff knows I have a signed donor card or if I am on the donor registry?
A. Absolutely not. The goal of Emergency Room and hospital staff is to save your life. The organ and tissue donation team does not become involved until after it has been determined that all efforts to save a patient's life have failed.
Q. Does organ and tissue donation leave the body disfigured?
A. The removal of organs and tissues is performed by qualified doctors and recovery staff. In the hands of a skilled funeral professional, an open-casket viewing should still be able to take place.
Q. What does "Routine Notification" mean?
A. All hospitals are required by federal law to contact their affiliated OPO in a timely manner about individuals who die or whose death is imminent. If the individual is medically suitable, the donor registry database will be accessed to determine if he or she is a registered donor, and/or the legal next-of-kin will be contacted and offered the option of donation.
Q. How are recipients matched to donor organs?
A. Persons waiting for transplants are listed at their local transplant center, and also on a national computerized waiting list. When organs become available, several factors are taken into consideration. These factors include blood and tissue type of the donor and recipient, and other recipient information such as weight, medical condition, time spent on the waiting list, and urgency of need. Geographic location is also a factor, as timing is critical and transportation times must be kept to a minimum. UNOS, the United Network of Organ Sharing, maintains the national computerized waiting list and is dedicated to providing fair and equitable placement of donated organs.
There are currently over 100,000 people in the United States on the national waiting list for organs, yet less than a third receives transplants each year. Each day, adults and children die waiting for life-saving organ transplants! You can make a difference!
LifeChoice Donor Services
8 Griffin Road
North Windsor, CT 06095
800-874-5215 www.lifechoiceopo.org
