Dispelling the myths of organ donation

Long before I was mayor of Boulder City, before I was a state legislator, I started a long, rewarding career as a physician. Two of the hardest things about being a doctor is, 1) telling someone that their loved one has died, and 2) sharing news about critical, potentially-fatal conditions.

We as a society don’t like to talk about death, but as Benjamin Franklin wrote in 1789, “In this world nothing can be said to be certain, except death and taxes.” Have you ever considered what should happen to your remains after death?

At the present time, there are 105,622 people nationwide waiting for a transplant; 664 of them live right here in Nevada. The Nevada Donor Network helps facilitate organ donations statewide. Every day in the United States, approximately 17 people die waiting for a transplant.

One organ donor can save up to eight people waiting for a heart, liver, lungs and more. Tissues such as corneas, skin, bone, tendons, heart valves, and blood vessels can also be donated, helping up to 75 people.

There are many myths about organ transplant:

“I’m not healthy enough to donate.”

You do not have to be in perfect health to donate. Obviously, it helps to be in good health. If you are a living donor (donating a kidney or part of a lung, liver, pancreas or intestine), you may be ineligible if you have certain conditions such as cancer, HIV, or active substance use disorder. Speak with your physician if you are not sure.

“If I’m in a hospital, staff won’t save me because they want organs.”

As physicians, we take an oath “to apply, for the benefit of the sick, all measures which are required.” Doctors do not consider organ donor status. Donors receive the same life-saving treatment at the hospital as those who are not organ donors.

“It’s against my religion/faith.”

Most major religions approve of organ donation, including Catholicism, Judaism, the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, and Islam. Speak with a member of your clergy regarding organ donation if you are not sure.

“I’m too old to donate.”

You’re never too old to donate – there’s no cutoff age for organ donation.

Living organ donations are becoming more common. Many of these are between relatives, friends or coworkers. In these cases, called “directed donations” the donor agrees to donate an organ to a specific person. But not all organs are compatible. In these cases, if blood tests show the donor and recipient are not a medical match, paired donation may be an option.

I highly recommend if you’re considering living organ donation, that you speak with your family, friends, and your physician. Visit www.donatelife.org to learn more.

As a legislator, I was fortunate to participate in sensitive discussions and decisions to include the opportunity to register as an organ donor when obtaining driver’s licenses or ID cards, as indicated by a heart symbol. To date, 1.6 million Nevadans have registered. If you decide to be an organ donor upon death, make sure that your family is aware and consider adding it to your will, along with any other health-care directives. For more information on organ donation in Nevada visit www.nvdonor.org.

As physicians, we are trained and do anticipate varied responses and feelings about personal and family organ donations. Even the decision to accept the virtual gift of life extension is not done lightly or without thoughtful counseling.

There are so many ways to give hope to people, being a willing organ donor is one.

It is your decision.