A recent query on HARO was asking for sources who were considering donating their bodies to science. My husband 
and I have always been organ donors, and we both want to give all or most of our body parts to science. Reuse, recycle, nothing new, right? But have you ever thought about how you go about actually arranging it? Like many other things, it’s not quite as easy as just having the idea.
While organ donation, at least in New York, is just a matter of signing the back of your drivers license, whole body donations are not quite so simple. First of all, you need to decide whether you want to be an organ donor or, donate your full body. I always thought you could harvest the organs, and then donate the body, but that’s not the case. First of all, organs need to be harvested while you’re still technically alive (but brain dead). Whole body donations are done once you’re dead, but need to be done before the body is embalmed. And there is also living donation, such as donating a kidney, or bone marrow while you’re still alive. The Mayo Clinic will decide which is the best use of your body, however most other sites will only take the body if the organs are intact.
According to Organdonor.gov: “You can inform your family that organ donation is your first choice, but if it is found that you are not medically suitable for organ donation, your family can carry out your wishes for whole body donation.” No matter what you decide to do, you must make your wishes known while you’re still alive. The Mayo Clinic and other sites have donor forms for both organ and whole body donations, but you also need to discuss your wishes with loved ones.
Remember that each organ and tissue donor saves or improves the lives of as many as 50 people. Isn’t that the best legacy you could leave?
And don’t forget to check out this week’s Blogging Boomer’s Carnival!
Save or improve the lives of up to 50 people? Wow – talk about the gift that keeps on giving! Thanks for the info!
Yes, 50 people! Pretty amazing right? Thanks for the comment.
Your story about Organ Donation highlighted the tragic shortage of human organs for transplant operations.
At least 9,000 of the 105,000 Americans on the national transplant waiting list will die before they get a transplant. Most of these deaths are needless. Americans bury or cremate 20,000 transplantable organs every year.
There is a simple way to put a big dent in the organ shortage – give donated organs first to people who have agreed to donate their own organs when they die.
Giving organs first to organ donors will convince more people to register as organ donors. It will also make the organ allocation system fairer. People who aren’t willing to share the gift of life should go to the back of the waiting list as long as there is a shortage of organs.
Anyone who wants to donate their organs to others who have agreed to donate theirs can join LifeSharers. LifeSharers is a non-profit network of organ donors who agree to offer their organs first to other organ donors when they die. Membership is free at http://www.lifesharers.org or by calling 1-888-ORGAN88. There is no age limit, parents can enroll their minor children, and no one is excluded due to any pre-existing medical condition. LifeSharers has over 13,000 members at this writing.
Please contact me – Dave Undis, Executive Director of LifeSharers – if your readers would like to learn more about our innovative approach to increasing the number of organ donors. I can arrange interviews with some of our local members if you’re interested. My email address is daveundis@lifesharers.org. My phone number is 615-351-8622.
This is such a complicated subject. My stepchildren are facing the reality of living donor issues right now. Their mother needs a liver and a kidney.
She is so very ill that even with a transplant she may not live but it is a terrible situation to face when you have to make this kind of choice.
They love their mother… but… the risks are enormous. The surgery for the live donor for just the liver is 10 hours. The recovery could be many months. They must take out your gallbladder while they are at it to get to the liver. And then the kidney must come from the same donor. TMI I am sure… but just think of what a Hobson’s choice this is for children who have their own families and careers to consider. Plus… I also read that once you are a live donor, you are considered “uninsurable” due to a major pre-existing condition! Thank goodness, the doctors now think the mom will be a candidate for regular organ transplant, not a living donor transplant. It has been a very emotional ride for all concerned.