Organ Donation
by Kate Cheek
What is organ donation?
Organ donation is the process of giving an organ or a part of an organ for the purpose of transplantation into another person.
An organ donor can save 8 lives.
Organ transplants are extremely expensive.
Currently, there are 124,000 people awaiting organ transplants.
What Can Be Donated
- heart
- intestine
- kidney
- liver
- lung
- pancreas
- bone
- cartilage
- corneas
- ligaments
- skin
- tendons
- veins
- and more
Procedures for Donation
- trying to save a life
- testing for brain death
- alerting the OPO(Organ Procurement Organization)
- obtaining consent
- matching donors with recipients
- maintaining the donor
- recovering and transporting organs
- transplanting the organs
Incorrect Myths About Organ Donation
- "If I agree to donate my organs, the hospital staff will not work as hard to save my life."
- "Maybe I won't really be dead when they sign my death certificate."
- "I am under the age of 18, I think I am too young to make this decision."
Extra Facts
- 21 people die every day while waiting for a transplant
- Almost anyone can be an organ donor, regardless of age or medical background
- All major religions in the USA support organ donation
- Transplant success rates increase when organs are matched between members of the same ethnic background
- The cornea is the most commonly transplanted tissue
- A healthy person can become a "living donor"