If you recall, last week we discussed the mechanics of blood donation and I encouraged you to consider donating blood. I will once again remind you that I am a strong supporter of blood donation. You can save up to three lives with every pint of blood that you donate! That being said, there are other areas of donation that are far more difficult to do but are equally important. Organ donation is an issue that many people seem to have questions concerning. A friend of mine recently told me that she had the organ donation symbol on her license, but admitted to knowing almost nothing about the process.
Becoming an organ donor is easier than you might think. When you get your driver’s license in Mississippi, you can opt in or out of becoming an organ donor by signing a waiver and having a small red heart placed on your licenses. This lets everyone know of your wishes but does not guarantee that your organs will be donated. After you die, your family now has all control over these final wishes and can decline to have your organs harvested. A crucial step is letting your loved ones know that organ donation is something that you wish to do. It is often viewed as the final charitable act that can be performed. Many families find comfort in knowing that their departed loved one gave the gift of life through their death.
That being said, if the family agrees to organ donation after a death a specialist team is called into action. The Mississippi Organ Recovery Agency, or MORA, travels to the hospital in which the body is located and begins their work. Trained physicians and technicians will harvest needed organs such as the heart, liver, kidneys, and possibly lungs, pancreas, and small intestine. However, you can sign paperwork from MORA which allows you specify which organs and tissue that you are willing to donate. After your donation is complete, your organs are sent to highest priority patient in each category with transplant surgeries sometimes being scheduled the same day.
Many people have some very understandable questions about this process. First of all, there is no cost to your family associated with organ donation. Conversely, your family does not get compensated for donations. Next, becoming an organ donor does not prevent you from being embalmed for your funeral service. Another common question is your medical care as a living person after you become a donor. I absolutely assure you that nothing will change in the least regarding how you are treated by medical staff once you become a donor. Your life is always put at the forefront of care.
Finally, I wanted to spend a moment discussing the topic that brought us to this point: body donation to medical science. As I mentioned last week, the participants of the cadaver lab that I was the chief examiner at last month wanted to know all about how to become a donor for the cadaver services. This is possibly the easiest to explain. People donate their bodies to science for many different reasons. The company that contracted with this conference was from Memphis and brought specimen bodies in from all over the country. Many were elderly adults at the end of their lives. After the bodies have been examined and taught from, they will be brought back to the corporate headquarters where they cremated. The company hosts several services per year in which the families of the cadavers are invited back for a ceremony in which the ashes are presented. At this time, several instructors, students, and other members of the team speak to the family thanking them for their contribution to their education. If you have never witnessed an event like this, it is emotional for all involved.
Being a body donor is not something that everyone can do. There are, however, things that you can do to give life to another. Blood donation is the simplest and easiest way to make a difference in a person’s life. Following that is getting information on and becoming an organ donor at the end of your life. Finally, for those interested, you might consider a body donation to science after your death to allow the next generation of health care providers to learn more about diseases and injuries. If you are interested in any of these, I advise you to make contact with their organizations and get more information. No matter which route you choose, you will be a hero in my book. Stay safe out there.
M. Eric Williams, MS, NR-P
Emergency Medical Faculty
Jones County Junior College
Questions/Comments: eric.williams@jcjc.edu
