Donate Life An Introduction to Organ and Tissue

Donate Life An Introduction to Organ and Tissue Donation Retailers for Life

Donate Life Richmond Partnership • United Network for Organ Sharing (UNOS) • Donate Life America • Life. Net Health • Old Dominion Eye Foundation • Minority Organ Tissue Transplantation Education Program (MOTTEP) of Richmond 2

Rumor Has It… • True. There are Currently, there more than 98, 000 are about 98, 000 patients in need of patients awaiting an organ right now. an organ Someone is added transplant in the to the national United States. waiting list every 13 minutes. 3

Rumor Has It… • If I am admitted to the hospital and there is a heart on my driver’s license they will not attempt to save my life or will take my organs before I am really dead. • False. Medical professionals will do everything they can to save your life. The doctors who work to save your life are not the same doctors involved with organ donation. 4

Rumor Has It… • False. The • The more patient that famous and rich receives a you are, the transplant is the sooner you will one who is most receive an organ in need and has for the best chance transplantation. of not rejecting the organ. 5

Rumor Has It… • A person can recover from brain death with proper medical treatment. • False. Brain death is death. No medical treatment can reverse brain death. When all brain activity has ceased, breathing and heart function can no longer continue independently. 6

Rumor Has It… • Most major religions oppose organ and tissue donation. • False. Leading members of all major religious organizations support organ donation as a virtuous and charitable act 7

Rumor Has It… • False, In Virginia there • I have a signed are two ways you can donor card in my legally declare your wallet and my decision to donate—at decision is in my the DMV on your will, so I don’t need drivers license or to do anything else visiting our online registry save 7 lives. org. to declare my decision to donate. 8

Organ and Tissue Donation Works • The organ and tissue donation process can save or greatly enhance lives • Transplant survival rates keep increasing • Recipients go on to live normal, healthy lives 9

The Need • More than 98, 000 patients are on the waiting list nationwide • More than 2, 600 of these are Virginians. • Sadly, about 18 patients die daily and a Virginian dies every other day waiting for a life-saving organ.

Who can be an organ and tissue donor? • Everyone should consider themselves a potential donor. • Your medical condition will be evaluated at the time of death to determine what can be donated. 11

Organ Transplantation • • • Heart Lung (2) Kidney (2) Pancreas Liver Intestine

Brain Death • The complete and irreversible cessation of all functions of the brain. • Brain death is death. It is NOT the same as being in a coma. • Specialized physicians complete complex testing to declare brain death. 13

Conditions that Cause Brain Death • • Brain aneurysm Stroke Head trauma from motor vehicle accidents Fall Gunshot wound Drug Overdose Drowning Poisoning

Tissue Transplantation • • Blood vessels and heart valves Bone Corneas and sclera Pericardium Fascia Cartilage Skin 15

Donation Process • • • Accident or illness Transport Emergency room Intensive care unit Identification of impending brain death – or cardiac death declared • Referral and evaluation

Donation Process, cont. • • • Donor designation Family medical social interview Organ placement Organ and tissue recovery Funeral arrangements Follow-up

Matching Donors and Recipients • • • Blood type Tissue type Body size Length of time on the waiting list Severity of illness Geographical location 18

How To Sign Up • • Visit www. save 7 lives. org. Fill out the paper application. Designate decision at DMV. Share your decision with your family.