Donation and Transplantation
Becoming a Donor
Who can become a donor? Are there age limits for donation?
Anyone over age 18 can become an organ or tissue donor by signing a Uniform Donor Card available from the National Kidney Foundation by calling (800) 622-9010, or the back of his or her driver's license. Those under age 18 may be able to become a donor with parental consent. There are no age limitations on who can donate. The deciding factor on whether a person can donate is the person's physical condition, not the person's age. Newborns as well as senior citizens have been organ donors. It is essential, however, that anyone who wants to be a donor tells his or her family about their wishes since next of kin will be asked for consent at the time of donation.
Do I have to register as an organ and tissue donor with any hospital or national registry?
A signed Uniform Donor Card is all that is necessary. It is important though to discuss your organ donation decision with your loved ones who will be asked to sign a consent form at the time of the donation.
If I sign a Uniform Donor Card, or indicate my donation preferences on my driver's license, will my wishes be carried out?
Even if you sign a Uniform Donor Card it is essential that your family is aware of your wishes. Your family will be asked to sign a consent form in order for your donation to occur.
What organs and tissues can I donate?
Kidneys, lung, corneas, liver, pancreas, heart valves, bones, tendons, skin and bone marrow can all be transplanted. If desired, a donor can specify on a donor card which organs and tissues they want to donate.
Funeral Arrangements
Will donation disfigure my body? Can there be an open casket funeral?
Donation does not disfigure the body and does not interfere with funeral plans, including open casket services. Recovery of organs and tissues is conducted in a surgical manner in an operating room under the direction of surgeons.
Living Donation
Can I donate an organ while I am still alive?
Yes! The organ most commonly given by a living donor is the kidney. People usually have two kidneys, and one is all that is needed to live a normal life. Parts of other organs including the lung, liver and pancreas have also been transplanted from living donors.
Financial Considerations
Can I sell my organs?
No! The National Organ Transplant Act makes it ILLEGAL to buy or sell human organs and tissues. Violators are subject to fines and imprisonment. Among the reasons for this rule is the concern of Congress that buying and selling of organs might lead to inequitable access to donor organs with the wealthy having an unfair advantage.
Are there any costs to my family for donation?
The donor's family does not pay for the cost of the organ donation. All costs related to donation of organs and tissues are paid by the recipient, usually through insurance or Medicare.
Donation and Religion
What does my religion think of donation?
While there are variations in specific views, religious leaders of most denominations the world over favor organ and tissue donation and consider it the highest humanitarian act. If you are concerned, check with your religious leader. For information on the specific views of each major religion, visit the NKF fact sheet, What Does My Religion Think of Donation.
Donating to Medical Science
Can I be an organ and tissue donor and also donate my body to medical science?
If you choose to be an organ and tissue donor, you cannot also choose total body donation. If you wish to donate your entire body, you should directly contact the facility of your choice to make arrangements. Medical schools, research facilities and other agencies need to study bodies to gain greater understanding of disease mechanisms in humans. This research is vital to saving and improving lives.
Transplant Waiting List
How many people are currently waiting for each organ to become available so they can have a transplant?
At present, nearly 81,000 people are awaiting lifesaving organ transplants. For information on the number and types of transplant performed, please visit the United Network for Organ Sharing (UNOS) website. Transplant waiting list numbers are updated weekly.
Donation Procurement Process
What are the steps involved in organ and tissue donation and transplantation?
The procurement process is a complex series of events that involves medical professionals at all levels in varied settings. Federal and state legislation has been enacted to help ensure that the process is carried out in a fair and efficient way, leading to an equitable distribution of donated organs. This legislation recommended the establishment of a national computer registry, called the National Organ Procurement and Transplantation Network (OPTN), for the purpose of matching donor organs to waiting recipients. The OPTN is managed by an organization known as the United Network for Organ Sharing (UNOS), located in Richmond, Virginia. UNOS cooperates with regional organ procurement organizations throughout the country to place organs locally, regionally and nationally. For information on the step-by-step process involved, visit the NKF fact sheet, Understanding the Organ and Tissue Procurement Process.
Minorities and Donation
Why should minorities be particularly concerned about organ donation?
Some diseases of the kidney, heart, lung, pancreas and liver are found more frequently in racial and ethnic minority populations than in the general population. For example, African Americans, Asian and Pacific Islanders and Hispanics are three times more likely to suffer from kidney disease than Whites. Native Americans are four times more likely than Whites to suffer from diabetes. Some of these diseases are best treated through transplantation; others can only be treated through transplantation.
Successful transplantation is often enhanced by the matching of organs between members of the same ethnic and racial group. For example, an African American patient is often less likely to reject a kidney if it is donated by an individual who is genetically similar. Generally, people are genetically more similar to people of their race than to people of other races. A shortage of organs donated by minorities can contribute to death and longer waiting periods for transplants for minorities.
Common Misconceptions About Donation
Aren't tissue and organ transplants still really experimental?
Medication and medical advances have resulted in transplant surgeries today that are very successful, as high as 95 percent. The transplantation of vital organs has become routine surgery and is no longer experimental.
What about that man who went to a party and woke up in a bathtub full of ice with his kidneys stolen?
This is a myth that began over 10 years ago. There is no documented case of this ever happening in the United States.
If I sign a Uniform Donor Card, will it affect the quality of medical care I receive at the hospital?
No! Every effort is made to save your life before donation is considered. A transplant team does not become involved until other physicians have determined that all efforts to save the patient's life have failed.
