Abstract
Organ donation and transplantation are among the marvels of modern medicine. The demand and need for organ donors surpass the number of people willing to donate. In the prevailing scenario, more than 28,000 lives are saved annually by organ donors. Nonetheless, more than 123,000 people in the U.S. are waiting for organ transplants (Better Health Channel, 2021). On average, 21 lives are lost daily as they await a befitting match. Many organs and tissues can be donated and transplanted (Cynthia Alexander, n.d.). Organ donation is a noble course and has many positive outcomes on the donor and recipients who experience the most significant effect. Besides, there is a far-reaching impact on families and friends who support the concept of donation and transplants. Being a donor can be rewarding and evokes a positive experience besides helping families work through the grieving process and deal with a loss by knowing individuals are helping save a life somewhere.
Introduction
Organ donation refers to retrieving and transplanting an organ or tissue from one person to another through a surgical process. Organ transplantation is necessitated by organ failure or damage caused by injury or disease in the recipient. People of different ages and races can perform organ donation, which is a voluntary action, and individuals cannot be compelled to participate. Lack of proper guidance, illiteracy, fright of surgery, and lack of awareness, among other factors, are among the major hindrances for persons to engage in such charitable practices (Li et al., 2017. Notably, people are hesitant about organ donation due to a need for more information regarding organ donation processes. Prevailing myths and misconceptions surrounding organ donation must be eradicated through education to encourage participation in organ donation to enhance human health.
Necessity of Organ Donation
Participating in organ donation is a noble and charitable form of social service. Organ donation marks the contribution of an individual to enhance life even after death. Some of the organs that people commonly donate include the eyes, liver, small intestines, skin tissues, lungs, and heart. Individuals should be motivated to pledge to be organ donors to save lives and promote the significance of organ donation by indulging in various campaigns. The universe marks the World Organ Donation on August 13 to celebrate organ donors and raise awareness of the significance of organ donation in society (Mayo Clinic, 2021). The World Health Organization and other health organizations conduct education sessions on health-related subjects to raise awareness.
How do Organ Transplants Work?
Since its inception in the 1960s, organ transplants have been among the landmark advances in modern science and continue to save thousands of lives annually. By becoming a donor, individuals sign up to make their organs available for persons with failed organs or whose parts have been damaged by disease or injury. While alive or upon demise, healthcare providers evaluate the eligibility to donate depending on one’s medical history and age. If the organs are deemed viable, the following step is matching the donated organ with someone on the transplant waitlist (University of Rochester Medical Center Rochester, 2023). The suitability of the donation is based on various factors, including blood type, organ size, and type, time spent on the waiting list, medical urgency, and geographical distance between the donor and recipient. The organs are delivered to the transplant center treating the patient deemed a suitable match. The transplant team then decides on the suitability of the organ based on their criteria. If the team declines the donated organ, the next best-matching recipient on the list is contacted. The process continues until the organ is placed with a beneficiary.
How Does Organ Donation Help Others?
In the United States, more than 100,000 people are on the organ transplant waitlist, which keeps growing daily. In the year, over 39000 transplants were successfully performed, which leaves many hopeful recipients waiting for their opportunity. However, many people do not receive a call on a suitable match for their required organ. On average, 17 people die daily due to a lack of donor organs (Cynthia Alexander, n.d.). A significant reason donor organs are in short supply is that only about three people among a thousand die in a way that allows for successful organ donation. Most transplanted organs last a patient’s lifetime, although some do not. The lifespan of transplants depends on various factors, for instance, how long an organ has been outside a human body, whether the donor was living or deceased, and the general health status of the recipient. However, transplanted organs typically offer the recipient a decade or more of a fulfilling life they would otherwise not have attained.
Is there a reason not to become an organ donor?
Despite 95 percent of Americans supporting organ donation and transplantation, only about 60 percent have registered as potential donors. Individuals are likely to hesitate to become organ donors if they are subject to misconceptions and misinformation. There is a need to raise awareness to clear some gray areas and concerns surrounding organ donation. Some concerns individuals may harbor include the cost of donations, the ability to receive the best medical care, age, and open-casket funeral.
Healthcare providers and organ donation proponents are at the forefront of raising awareness among citizens on the need to register as potential organ donors. On the matter of cost, organ donation is free, and the donor, family, or society incur no cost. However, it is essential to note that the funeral costs are the responsibility of the surviving family.
In receiving the best healthcare services, organ donors are legible for the best care. The supreme mandate of physicians is to provide the best care and save the life of patients in their hands. The focus only shifts to potential transplant recipients if the donor passes away.
Anyone, including children, can register to be an organ donor, irrespective of their age. Many states allow children to participate in the noble charitable course, although the ultimate decision rests with parents or legal guardians in case of demise. It is important to note that children are also on the transplant waiting list and need matching organs to fit their size. No age or few instances of illnesses can automatically disqualify an individual. The suitability of one’s organs and tissues can only be determined by doctors.
After harvesting organs for donations, it is still possible for families to accord the deceased open-casket funerals. Healthcare professionals recover donated organs and tissues in a manner that permits families to hold traditional funeral services if desired. Organ donation helps loved ones cope and gain peace, knowing that the organs of their loved one have helped to save someone’s life.
Once you become an organ donor, you become a hero. A donated organ offers a second chance at life for individuals with failing or damaged organs. The generous decision offers recipients and their families a reason to celebrate and honor someone else even after their demise.
How to Become an Organ Donor
Regardless of age, gender, or race, almost everyone can become a potential organ donor. If anyone wishes to register as a donor, the easiest way of providing legal consent for donating one’s organs and tissues upon death is by joining the donor registry. One’s registration is successful when a donor designation, often a heart symbol, appears on a new license. Notably, it is crucial to notify one’s family and loved ones of the intention to be an organ donor so that they can fulfill their wishes after demise. This is particularly critical if someone is entrusted to make healthcare decisions on your behalf where one cannot give consent.
References
Better Health Channel. (2021). Organ and tissue donation. https://www.betterhealth.vic.gov.au/health/conditionsandtreatments/organ-and-tissue-donation#what-is-donation
Cynthia Alexander. (n.d.). Organ donation saves lives. Mount Nittany Physician Group. https://www.mountnittany.org/wellness-article/organ-donation-saves-lives
Li, A. H., Garg, A. X., Prakash, V., Grimshaw, J. M., Taljaard, M., Mitchell, J., Matti, D., Linklater, S., Naylor, K. L., Dixon, S., Faulds, C., Bevan, R., Getchell, L., Knoll, G., Kim, S. J., Sontrop, J., Bjerre, L. M., Tong, A., & Presseau, J. (2017). Promoting deceased organ and tissue donation registration in family physician waiting rooms (registernow-1 trial): Study protocol for a pragmatic, stepped-wedge, cluster randomized controlled registry. Trials, 18(1). https://doi.org/10.1186/s13063-017-2333-5
Mather Hospital. (2021). Donating life: The importance of organ donation. https://www.matherhospital.org/wellness-at-mather/donating-life-the-importance-of-organ-donation/
Mayo Clinic. (2021). Organ donation: Don’t let these myths confuse you. https://www.mayoclinic.org/healthy-lifestyle/consumer-health/in-depth/organ-donation/art-20047529
University of Rochester Medical Center Rochester, (2023). Organ donation: The power to change lives. URMC Newsroom. https://www.urmc.rochester.edu/news/publications/health-matters/organ-donation-the-power-to-change-lives
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