Did you know that every organ and tissue donor saves or improves the lives of as many as 50 people?
Sue Witte, a social work specialist and the in-house coordinator of the organ donation program at University of Iowa Hospitals and Clinics, talks about organ donation:
Can you tell us how many people in the state of Iowa are waiting for organ transplantation?
As of April 2007, there are 433 Iowans who are waiting for the gift of life.
Who is eligible to be an organ and tissue donor?
Really anyone is eligible. There are certain medical criteria that have to be evaluated to make sure that we don't transfer an infection or a diseased process to a recipient, and all donations take place after someone has passed away, so really, at the time of death, anyone can be a tissue or organ donor.
Is there a cost to the family to donate their loved one's organs and tissue?
There is absolutely no cost to the donor family. It is considered a very humanitarian gift and all of the costs related to the procurement of organs and tissue go to the organ procurement organization.
Is there a need for minorities to become donors - or does your ethnic background make no difference when it comes to donation of organs and tissue?
Well, there is a real need out there, because diseases of the kidney are found more frequently in racial and ethnic minority populations in the United States than in the general population, and African-Americans, Asians, Hispanic-Latinos and Pacific Islander Americans are three times more likely to suffer from kidney failure than Americans of European descent, and so successful transplantation is often enhanced if organs are matched between members of the same ethnic and racial group. So a shortage of those organs donated by minorities can contribute to a longer waiting period for transplants, and so it does make a difference.
Do all organs and tissue donated in Iowa stay in Iowa and similarly do Iowan's only received organs from people who donate within the state?
All organs and tissues are distributed according to state and federal laws and we work with the United Network for Organ Sharing http://www.unos.org/ to determine who has the highest need in the nation. As a transplant center in Iowa, and we're also a certified burn unit, an acclaimed orthopaedic center, and ophthalmology clinic, many of the organs, bone, eyes, and skin are used at University of Iowa Hospitals and Clinics. But Iowans also benefit from the gift of our neighbors who make the gift of donation if it's determined that an Iowan has a higher need than someone in their own state, so it goes back and forth a little bit.
We mentioned earlier one donor can save or improve the lives of 50 people. What organs and tissue can be donated?
Well, the heart, both lungs, both kidneys, the pancreas, liver, and small bowel, so that makes eight organs all together. And skin, bone, eyes, and heart valves are considered tissue. Putting those all together, yes, you can enhance many lives by being an organ and tissue donor.
When a family allows organ and tissue donation of their loved one, can they still have a traditional funeral for that family member ?
Yes, anyone who is an organ or tissue donor can have a traditional funeral or viewing as we refer to it as.
How do I let my family know I want to be a donor now, in the event of an accident and my family needs to make this decision?
We encourage people to have a verbal conversation and let their wishes be known to their family so at least they can refer to that in the event of a crisis, but we certainly also encourage people if you are getting your license, that you let the DOT know that you would like to be an organ donor and they can put a 'Y' on your license.
The problem is so many people arrive at the hospital without their license due to a car accident or rushing away from the home in a crisis. So Iowa, as many states have nationally, has a registry www.iowadonornetwork.org where people can register to be an organ and tissue donor. You can go online to the registry or call 877-366-6742, a toll-free number, where you can register as a donor. And that's very helpful; it really takes the burden away from your family because it's available to the medical staff 24 hours a day. They fax a copy of what you consented to, and the family is relieved of having to make that decision. |
