Organ Donation Myths and Facts

Many people say they would be an organ donor but that they are scared. I hear this all the time when I am talking to people about my husband's double lung transplant or people find out I am an organ donor advocate. The first thing they tell me is that there is just something that isn't "natural" about it and they cannot picture their organs being harvested. My response is that the person will be long gone and won't even care about the body they left behind. Anyway, what better way to leave an imprint on this world then to save the lives of at least 8 people and positively impact the lives of up to another 50 people through tissue, skin, cornea, bone marrow, et al, donations?

Sadly, there are a great number of fears behind being an organ donor because of the myths that have circulated about organ donation and the life of the donor. In general, the myths include, but are not limited to:

Myth. If I agree to donate my organs, my doctor or the emergency room staff won't work as hard to save my life. They'll remove my organs as soon as possible to save somebody else.

Reality. When you go to the hospital for treatment, doctors focus on saving your life — not somebody else's. You'll be seen by a doctor whose specialty most closely matches your particular emergency. This effectively shuts the door to your being treated by a transplant physician, who works solely with transplant candidates and recipients. The doctor in charge of your care has nothing to do with transplantation.

Myth. Maybe I won't really be dead when they sign my death certificate. It'll be too late for me if they've taken my organs for transplantation. I might have otherwise recovered.

Reality. Although a popular topic in the tabloids, in reality, people don't start to wiggle a toe after they're declared dead. In fact, people who have agreed to organ donation are given more tests to determine that they are truly dead than are those who haven't agreed to organ donation.

Myth. My family will be charged for donating a loved one's organs.

Reality. The organ donor's family is never charged for donating. Your family is charged for the cost of all final efforts to save your loved one's life, and those costs are sometimes misinterpreted as costs related to organ donation. Costs for organ removal go to the transplant recipient. If you receive a bill for what you believe are costs related to organ donation, talk to the billing department of the hospital. You may have misunderstood the charges, or the costs may have been misdirected. Funeral expenses are still the responsibility of the donor's family.

Myth. My loved one has suffered so much because of his illness. I don't want him (or her) to suffer anymore.

Reality. Your loved one is dead at the time of donation and cannot feel pain. Even after death, every effort is made to ensure that your loved one's body is treated with the same degree of respect as is given a living patient.

Myth. Blacks in the United States have a history of being given inferior treatment as compared to whites. How do I know that my organs won't simply be given to whites and that black people won't be denied an organ whenever a white transplant candidate needs one?

Reality. The national organ transplant waiting list is colorblind. Among all of the medical data listed on the transplant list for each person waiting, no race information is specified. When a donor organ becomes available, those allocating the organ don't know the race of those waiting for it. Allocation is made according to medical data, the severity of the illness and time spent on the waiting list.

Myth. Blacks in the United States have a history of being given inferior treatment as compared to whites. How do I know that my organs won't simply be given to whites and that black people won't be denied an organ whenever a white transplant candidate needs one?

Reality. The national organ transplant waiting list is colorblind. Among all of the medical data listed on the transplant list for each person waiting, no race information is specified. When a donor organ becomes available, those allocating the organ don't know the race of those waiting for it. Allocation is made according to medical data, the severity of the illness and time spent on the waiting list.

Myth. Rich, famous and powerful people always seem to move to the front of the line when they need a donor organ. There's no way to ensure that my organs will go to those who've waited the longest or are the neediest.

Reality. The rich and famous aren't given priority when it comes to allocating organs. It may seem that way because of the amount of publicity generated when celebrities receive a transplant, but they are treated no differently than anyone else. In fact, the United Network for Organ Sharing (UNOS), the organization responsible for maintaining the national organ transplant network, subjects all celebrity transplants to an internal audit to make sure the organ allocation was appropriate. Remember, too, that it would be unfair to deny someone a transplant simply because he or she is a celebrity.

Myth. I want my loved one to have an open casket funeral. That can't happen if his or her organs or tissues have been donated.

Reality. Like an autopsy, organ and tissue donation doesn't interfere with having an open casket funeral. If organs are taken, the body is stitched up as if the person were alive and had undergone surgery. The body is clothed for burial, so the stitches aren't visible. With skin donation, a very thin layer of skin similar to a sunburn peel is taken from the donor's back, and because the donor is clothed and lying on his or her back in the casket, no one can see any difference. For eye donation, an artificial eye is inserted, the lids are closed, and again, no one can tell any difference. For bone donation, a rod is inserted where bone is removed. The body is stitched up and clothed, so no one can see any difference.

Myth. I'm too old to donate. Nobody would want my organs.

Reality. There's no defined cutoff age for donating organs. Organs have been successfully transplanted from donors in their 70s and 80s. The decision to use your organs is based on strict medical criteria, not age. Don't disqualify yourself prematurely. Let the doctors decide at your time of death whether your organs and tissues are suitable for transplantation.

Myth. I'm not in the greatest health, and my eyesight is poor. Nobody would want my organs or tissues.

Reality. Very few medical conditions automatically disqualify you from donating organs. The decision to use an organ is based on strict medical criteria. It may turn out that certain organs are not suitable for transplantation, but other organs and tissues may be fine. Don't disqualify yourself prematurely. Only medical professionals at the time of your death can determine whether your organs are suitable for transplantation.

Myth. I would like to donate one of my kidneys now, rather than wait until my death. But I hear you can't do that unless you're a close family member of someone in need. I don't have a family member in need. I just want to help someone — even a perfect stranger.

Reality. While that used to be the case, it isn't any longer. Whether it's a distant family member or friend you want to help or a complete stranger, you can donate a kidney while you're still alive. Not all transplant centers will agree to this, though.
If you find a transplant center that will consider your request, you will undergo extensive questioning to ensure that you are aware of the risks and to determine the rationale behind your desire to donate. For instance, donors will not be accepted if an exchange of money is to take place between donor and recipient or if there's any hint of coercion on the part of the recipient or the recipient's family. You will also undergo testing to determine that your kidneys are healthy and that you could live out the rest of your life with just one kidney.
Remember, you can also donate blood or bone marrow during your lifetime. Contact your local chapter of the American Red Cross for details on where you can donate or sign up.

Myth. I'm under age 18. I'm too young to make this decision.

Reality. That's true, in a legal sense. But your parents can make this decision. You can express to your parents your wish to donate, and your parents might give their consent knowing that it's what you wanted. Children, too, are in need of organ transplants, and they usually need organs smaller than those an adult can provide.

Myth. Organ donation is against my religion.

Reality. Organ donation is consistent with the beliefs of all larger religious denominations in the United States. This includes Catholicism, Protestantism and most branches of Judaism. If you're unsure of or uncomfortable with your faith's position on donation, ask a member of your clergy.

Ultimately, it is your choice if you wish to be an organ donor and your choice should be respected by all. We just ask that you educate yourself on the facts about organ donation since it is not only your life that will be effected but, that of your family, friends, and the people who are desperately waiting for that living saving/altering transplant miracle.

(Reference: Organ donation: Don't let myths stand in your way. Mayo Clinic. Retrieved April 5, 2006, from: http://www.mayoclinic.com/health/organ-donation/FL00077.)