A Second Chance at Life: Why You Should Become an Organ Donor

Over a decade and a half ago, Masterman gym teacher Mr. O’Neill’s father was diagnosed with Polycystic Kidney Disease (PKD). PKD is a condition where cysts continually grow on the kidneys and slowly decrease their function over time. The cysts get larger and larger and eventually, the kidneys can no longer function. Mr. O’Neill’s family was told that a kidney transplant was necessary for his father, but he ended up having to wait for 4 years for the procedure. His father is doing well now, but Mr. O’Neill will need a transplant down the line. While he’s healthy, Mr. O’Neill wants to educate all students on the importance of organ donation, in hopes that nobody has to go through long waiting processes like his father.

What is organ donation, and how does it work?

If a patient is fatally injured and rushed to the hospital, the doctors will try to do anything they can to save them. After all other treatment has been exhausted, the patient will be declared dead. However, if the body is dead, most of the organs are still working. Say you have a heart attack: your kidneys would still be working, your skin and tendons would still be intact. Organs will be placed in sterile containers, packaged in ice, then transported to the transplant center. If you were a registered donor, then your organs can be passed to someone in need.

What can be donated, and who can receive the donation?

One person can save up to eight lives through their organ donation, but can enhance up to 75 by donating other tissues. The heart, liver, pancreas, and intestines can all be donated, along with both lungs and kidneys. Kidneys are the most common transplant, due to the fact people can live normally with one functioning kidney, and can donate while alive. Tissues such as skin, corneas, tendons, muscles/ligaments, and even bones can also be donated to help enhance the lives of others. Anyone can donate, and anyone can be a recipient, no matter age, height, or weight. The problem is, there aren't enough organs to go around.

How does the donation process work?

On the donor’s side, the process is pretty simple but obviously emotional. After being declared dead, the doctors will check to see if the patient was registered as an organ donor, and if not, they will ask the closest relative. If the patient registers as a donor, they can help give others a second chance at life. Hearts and lungs can be transplanted until 4-6 hours after being declared dead, livers can be preserved up to 12 hours, and kidneys up to 36 hours. Skins, corneas, and veins can last longer– days, or even years after the death of a patient.

The recipients have it very tough. Once somebody needs a transplant, they are put on the waiting list. The waiting list doesn’t take into account age, race, gender, or celebrity status, just the severity of the issue. People can live with one kidney, but not without a heart. While waiting, the doctors try to find somebody with the same blood type and approximate body shape as the patient, just so the organ can “match” with your system. Recipients can spend years waiting for an organ, as it is hard to find a perfect match.

Mr. O’Neill explains the process that his father had to go through while waiting to receive a transplant: “He was on the waitlist for 4 years. He did dialysis for all 4 of those years. No one in our family was a match and could donate. My brother and I were excluded from donating since I have the disease and both my parents wanted my brother to have the ability to donate to me one day.” PKD is a genetic disease, and Mr. O’Neill himself was diagnosed with it in 2015. He will need a transplant in the future when he reaches about 60 years old, and his parents wanted his brother to be there to donate instead of having to wait and go through dialysis.

Why should I register?

The great thing about organ donation is that there are no long-term side effects in many cases. Take for example Mr. O’Neill’s father, his transplant was 12 years ago. Over a decade later, “He is doing great. His kidney function is at a normal level and well above average for a transplant patient.” The only infraction on a patient’s daily life after getting a transplant is having to take an anti-rejection medication either once or twice a day– depending on the surgery and the exact medication– for the rest of their lives.

Organ donation is also supported by every major religion, and it does not affect any funeral arrangements. It also gives the recipients and their families a chance to live longer and get out of the hospitals, away from the stress and medical bills. If you or someone you loved happened to be in that position, you would want a transplant as soon as possible.

By the numbers:

There are currently over 100,000 people in America currently on the waiting list for an organ transplant, and about 5,000 in our region. Every 10 minutes, somebody is added to the waiting list, and 20 people die each day from being on the list. 36,000 Americans receive a life-saving transplant each year, which is not enough considering the number of people on the list. 95% of Americans support organ donation, but it’s just a matter of not many people registering to become donors.