Living organ donation

What's the opposite of lovely zombie escapism? Why, lovely saving someone in reality. Organ donation after death, living organ donation, blood donation... find out more. You can't save a zombie but you can save a human being.

by m

I would be willing to bet a large sum of money that you, Dear Reader, would be willing to donate your kidney if it would save your sibling or parent's life. I'd also guess that you wouldn't refuse your best friend a pancreatic transplant, or your so-so friend part of your liver. But why stop there? As the saying goes, 'Strangers are friends just waiting to happen'. So, even if you've yet to meet them, how about helping out some sick friends?

If you'd prefer statistics over sentiment, how about this?

In the United States, 104,748 patients are currently waiting for an organ transplant; more than 4,000 new patients are added to the waiting list each month. 18 persons on this list die each day. Britain is little better; approximately 10,000 people are currently waiting for a transplant and 1 in 10 will die waiting.

There's the problem. Now for the solutions!

Organ Donation

This refers to organs donated after death (as opposed to living organ donation). In the United States, this is regulated on the state level. One often has the option of registering to be an organ donor when registering for a driver's license; if you decide to register later you can find out more on US organ donation regulations by state.

Within the European Union, 24 of the member states (including Spain, Austria, Belgium, Denmark and Sweden) have an 'opt-out' policy. This means that unless a citizen of an opt-out country states otherwise, then upon their death their organs and tissues will be donated to a person in need of a transplant. Britain is currently an opt-in country, with donations being purely voluntary. However, due to organ shortages, the United Kingdom is considering changing to an opt-out policy, with Wales beginning the legislative process in July 2010.

Donating organs after death is the safest way to give life. Both organs and tissues can be 'recycled'. The donor is never at risk. They are not given any 'less' medical service than non-donors, and they are actually given more tests to firmly ascertain that they are dead before a single cell is removed.

After organs such as the heart, kidneys, pancreas, liver and lungs are removed from the cadaver, the incisions are carefully sewn up, leaving the body looking just as lovely as it did in life.

Further more, anyone can register to give after death. Age, current state of health, fitness or gender do not prevent anyone from registering to be an organ donor. While it is possible that medical professionals may decide that one's organs really aren't optimal for transplants, it could be that some of one's organs viable and others aren't. These decisions can't be made until the time of death, so don't rule yourself out. One after-death donation can save eight lives through organs... and fifty lives through tissues!

Living Organ Donation

This is refers to donations one makes whilst one is still alive. While more risk is involved (though the amount of risk is considered quite low, yet uncalculatable due to a lack of proper data) there is also a greater statistical chance that a living donation will be accepted by the recipient's body.

Living donors are either directed or non-directed (also sometimes called 'altruistic' – but isn't every donation an act of altruism?). Directed donations are donations made for a specific person. The donor is classified as either biologically-related, that is, a family member, or unrelated, such as a friend or co-worker. Non-directed donations are given to an anonymous candidate on the national or regional waiting list. However, if both parties involved in a non-direct donation agree, then the donor and recipient will be allowed to meet.

The requirements to be a living donor are understandably stringent. Persons with diabetes, cancer, HIV/AIDS, and all types of hepatitis are ineligible. Additionally, except in certain biologically-related situations, donors must be between the ages of 18 (or legal adulthood) and 55 to 60.

If, after intense information-gathering, one is still interested in donating an organ, the first step to take would be to contact a transplant center. The transplant center will work through several stages of eligibility evaluation. Physical tests may include:

+ blood test
+ urine analysis
+ chest x-ray
+ EKG
+ CAT scan
+ MRI
+ gynelogical exam
+ cancer screening

Donors, especially non-directed donors, will also be given a psychological and/or psychosocial examination. This assesses if you are able to fully understand the implications of your decision to donate an organ, if you are acting without any sort of coercion or pressure, and if you'll be able to handle the stress associated with undergoing an operation.

If you are accepted as an eligible donor, you will then be assigned an Independent Donor Advocate, who will help guide you through the paperwork and legalities. While it is illegal in the majority of countries to receive compensation for donating an organ (as this would encourage the sale of organs) donors can usual have the costs of their surgery covered by the recipient's insurance. One's IDA is also there to help you with any fears, concerns or doubts you may have. Living organ donation should always be voluntary. The donor has the right to back out of the transaction at any point in the process and the right to keep their reason for backing out confidential.

Donatable body parts include:

• Kidney (entire organ) – This is probably the most common of donations. The recovery time is usually about 6 weeks for both parties. The recipient often fully recovers, as does the donor. While the donor's remaining kidney will increase in size to compensate for the loss, there are no major side-affects. Full recovery can be reached after one to three months.

• Liver (segment) – Livers are super-special because they can regenerate! A healthy adult can donate 50 to 70 percent of the liver, and it will regrow very close to 100 percent of the original liver in both donor and recipient. Though there is occasional complication involving blood clots or infection, the majority of liver donors recover from the operation in three to four months.

• Lung (lobe) – A set of lungs has five lobes (two on the left, three on the right). In a lung transplant, one person donates a left lobe and the other a right. Thus, the donors experience a fifteen-percent reduction in lung capacity. While donors will have that much less tolerance for athletic activities, it typically poses little problem. Full donor recovery occurs in four to six weeks, following an average nine days in the hospital.

• Intestine (portion) – Living donations for portions of the small intestine are not commonly performed, but when performed, tend to have a reassuringly high rate of success for both donor and recipient. There is a 3 to 5 percent chance that the donor will develop obstruction of the lower bowel, and there is also a possibility of complications involving weight loss and diarrhea. For these reasons, donors will need to return for check-ups two and four weeks after being released from the hospital (typically after 3 to 5 days).

• Pancreas (portion) – This is donation process is still somewhat experimental, but entirely possible. Pancreas donation involves a large commit on the donor's part, as they will have to have their glucose levels evaluated each month, and an annual evaluation of glycosolated hemoglobin levels. Additionally, the removal of the donor's spleen may be required.

Can a single person make all of these donations? Probably not, out of concern for the donor's own physical health. The ability to make multiple living donations will also vary greatly from person to person. However, there is one donation that nearly everyone can make over and over...

Blood Donations

This is an amazingly easy way to save a life! Also, there are often cookies involved.

Anyone who is...

+ at least 17 years old (though in some areas persons under 17 can give blood if they have parental consent)
+ in good health
+ without blood-transmitted infections
+ weight at least 110 pounds (50 kilograms) (Note that the weight requirement may change depending on your age and height. For example, at age 16 and height of 5' 2”, I would have to weight 130 pounds in order to donate.)

... can donate blood!

The process is entirely sterile and takes about ten to twelve minutes. A mini-physical, blood screening and some paperwork will also be involved. One can either attend a blood drive or make an appointment with the Red Cross to give individually. About a pint of blood is taken, which the body will have fully replaced in 56 days – so after 8 weeks, you can donate again!

Fainting and/or vomiting may be experienced if the donor doesn't weigh enough, or doesn't have enough iron in their body, so please be careful. The only common risk is dizziness immediately after giving, so everyone is offered and encouraged to have juice and cookies afterwards.

To conclude: organ donation is the most literal way to give of yourself, and one of the most direct ways to save a life. It's not for everyone, but perhaps everyone should give it a thought, and maybe give some blood, too.

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