About Organ, Eye and Tissue Donation
What is organ, eye & tissue donation?
When you sign up to be an organ, eye and tissue donor on the National Donate Life Registry – RegisterMe.org – or with a state registry, you are registering your decision to become a donor upon your death. This document of gift provides legal authorization to have your organs, corneas and/or tissue made available for those in need of lifesaving and healing transplants.
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Donors are often people who died suddenly and unexpectedly. Their families are then faced with making the decision at a time of shock and grief. Registering now relieves your family of this burden and serves as a real gift to them, as well as to
the grateful recipients of your donation.
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What about living donation?
When a person registers as a donor with the National Donate Life Registry or a state registry, they are registering for deceased donation. Living donation is not included
in your donor registration.
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A kidney from a living donor offers patients an alternative to years of dialysis and time on the national transplant waiting list. The living donor’s remaining kidney will enlarge, doing the work of two healthy kidneys. A part of the liver may also be donated. The remaining portion will regenerate and regain full function. Partial lung, intestine and pancreas donation is possible as well.
Living donation is coordinated through individual transplant centers. To help someone by becoming a living donor, talk to him or her about the transplant program where the person is listed. To be a non-directed living donor, contact a transplant center (https:// transplantliving.org/living-donation/being-a-living-donor/firststeps/) to find out if they have this type of donation program.
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To learn more about the different organs and tissues for transplant and the different types of donation, visit https://www.donatelife.net/types-of-donation/.
One Organ, Eye and Tissue Donor Can Heal More Than 75 Lives
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Talking About Donation.
It can sometimes seem intimidating to ask people to register as donors. The truth is, most people support donation and just have not thought about registering, or have not been given the opportunity. Use these tips for ideas on how to start the conversation, overcome misconceptions, and answer common questions.
Starting the Conversation
Whether you are holding a registration table at a football game, community event or just on campus one day, it is important to engage your audience. This means standing in front of the table to draw people in, rather than waiting for them to come to you.
Open with an interesting fact.
“Hey, did you know that you can save eight lives by registering as a donor?”
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Use giveaways to engage people as they walk by...
whether it is a wristband, pair of sunglasses or food. “Do you want a free donut? We’re giving them away to everyone who stops by to learn more or registers to be an organ donor!”
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Just ask!
“We’re registering people as organ donors today! Have you registered yet? It only takes a a couple of minutes.”
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