Why Become an Organ Donor? Better Still, Why Not?

It’s eye-opening to look at organ donation from the clinician’s point of view. George Rofaiel, MD, Chief, Section of Transplantation Surgery, Lehigh Valley Institute for Surgical Excellence, offers his thoughts for all to consider during April, National Donate Life Month.

“As we celebrate donate life month, one word that comes to mind is ‘gratitude.’ Those of us who care for transplant donors and recipients are always stunned by this selfless act. It is no secret there is an endless line of patients who need a second chance at life through organ donation. Some have days to live, and others have been waiting for years. Regardless of where a patient is on their journey, their very life is dependent on one decision only: For a donor and their loved ones – through care and love – to say ‘yes’ to this ask. Although often done in advance, many of these decisions are being made at moments of sorrow, trauma and tragedy. However, it is possible to transcend those emotions and still think about others. I am not sure there are proper words to describe the selflessness of this exercise.”

More than 100,000 people are waiting for lifesaving organ transplants. The largest football stadium in the U.S. can fit about the same number of patients on the national transplant waiting list.

5,600 people in the U.S. die each year while on the transplant waiting list. For comparison, this is the same number of the entire population of Isle of Palms in South Carolina.

13-17 people die each day while waiting for an organ transplant. In many countries, this would be representative of a whole team of rugby union football players.

86% of patients waiting need a kidney. That’s a big percentage. It’s about the same as the percentage of American adults that give out candy on trick-or-treat night.

3-5 years is the average waiting time for a kidney from a deceased donor. In three to five years, you could get a college degree, raise a child from birth to kindergarten or maybe get a life-saving transplant.

Deceased donation is the process of giving organs, corneas or tissues at the time of a person’s death for the purpose of transplantation. Deceased donation can only occur with permission and after death has been declared by medical professionals who are not part of the donation and transplant process.

If the patient signed up to be a donor in their state or national registry, that information is shared with the family. A counselor from the organ procurement organization (OPO) talks to the family to explain the donation process and answer any questions. The OPO and hospital team work together to support the family and honor the patient’s wishes.

If the patient has not signed up in a state or national registry at the time of death, the patient’s family has the option to give permission to donate. The donation decision is easier if the family has previously had this discussion.

Because a person can live with only one kidney, living donation offers another choice for some transplant candidates. A kidney from a living donor offers patients an alternative to years of dialysis and time on the national transplant waiting list. While the average waiting time for a kidney from a deceased donor is three to five years, a patient may be able to receive a living donor transplant in one year or less.

People lead healthy lives with one kidney. After donation, the remaining kidney will increase in size and take over the whole job of filtering the blood.

Here are some helpful resources for information and to register for donation:

• If you live in Pennsylvania, register at
  Opens in new tab Register To Become An Organ Donor | Donate Life Pennsylvania
• For a national resource, go to
  Opens in new tab Information about Organ, Eye, and Tissue Donation | organdonor.gov