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April is National Donate Life Month. Discover information on donation, registration, frequently asked questions, and surprising facts.
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string(6127) "Many people have misconceptions about organ and tissue donation, which can discourage them from registering as organ donors. Each organ donor has the potential to save eight lives and improve the lives of 75 others. That's why it's important to dispel these myths. So here are 10 interesting facts about organ donation — some of which may surprise you.
1. You can donate organs and tissues while you're alive.
Despite increasing public awareness, many people are still surprised to learn that you can donate certain organs and tissues while you're alive. Living donors can go on to live a full, healthy life. UPMC has extensive expertise in performing living donor transplants, which help reduce the shortage of organs and allow patients to receive live-saving transplants sooner.
2. Elderly and chronically sick people can become organ donors.
Neither advanced age nor a history of serious diseases automatically disqualifies you from becoming an organ donor. Medical professionals assess your condition at the time of your death to determine what tissues or organs may be viable to donate.
3. First responders and doctors work equally hard to save the lives of registered organ donors as they do nondonors in a crisis.
You've probably heard the myth that a person's organ donation status affects the care they receive in a life-threatening emergency. However, medical professionals don't consider organ or tissue donor status until death is declared.
4. Donating organs and tissue does not necessitate a closed-casket funeral for the donor.
Organizations that procure and process organ and tissue donations do so in a way that preserves the donor's dignity and appearance. Though this may not be the most common organ donation question, it's still an important one for most donors and their loved ones. Thankfully, it isn't an issue.
5. Your donated organs and tissues can help or save many more lives than you'd think.
Eight. That's the number of lives you can save by donating organs. And while that number is inspiring, Donate Life America reports that through tissue donation, one donor can save or enhance the lives of 75 others. And, through corneal donation, one donor can restore sight to two people.
6. All major religions encourage organ donation as an act of charity and goodwill.
Contrary to some assumptions, leaders of all major religions have agreed that organ donation is among the most charitable acts, according to the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS). A conversation with your trusted spiritual advisor can clear up your concerns about organ and tissue donation.
7. Social status, fame, net worth, gender, and ethnicity are never considered when pairing donors with recipients.
No one receives preferential treatment on the transplant waiting list. According to the HHS, a transplant candidate is prioritized by blood type, tissue or organ needed, medical urgency, and the cumulative time they've been on the list — never by social standing or civic status.
8. Donors' family members are not financially responsible for the recovery and processing of donated tissue and organs after death.
The costs associated with recovered, processed, and transplanted organs or tissue never fall to a deceased donor's family members.
9. While the kidneys, liver, and heart are the most commonly transplanted organs, many more organs and tissues can be donated.
Some life-changing transplants are not the ones you hear about. Organs like the stomach, intestines, lungs, and pancreas can also be donated. In fact, connective tissues, skin, bones, bone marrow, and even corneas can be donated, as well. Many inspiring stories about organ donation come from these lesser-known procedures.
10. You can do much more than simply become a donor yourself.
Registering to become an organ donor is the first step to improving or saving lives. But there's much more you can do. Join UPMC's Donate Life conversation online, share this article with your social networks, and ask friends and family whether they've registered. Host an event to raise awareness for an individual on the organ donor waiting list. Encourage more living donors to help by contributing financially to the American Transplant Association's patient assistance program.
Together, we can close the gap between the number of eligible donors and the number of people on the waiting list.
To register as an organ, eye, or tissue donor, visit UPMC.com/DonateLife."
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Think you know most everything about organ and tissue donation? These lesser-known facts about organ donation may still surprise you.Read More
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string(3435) "Living organ donors give the gift of life. Pittsburgher Justin Reed has given the gift of life – twice. When his father needed a kidney, Justin was evaluated and determined to be a match. He then made the selfless decision to donate one of his kidneys to his father through a living-donor kidney transplant. He later donated a part of his liver to a person he’d never even met.
“The greatest feeling in my life was waking up from surgery and walking over to sit by my father’s side, knowing he was on track to feeling better,” Justin says.
During the living-donor kidney transplant, one of Justin’s healthy kidneys was removed and transplanted into his father to replace his father’s diseased kidneys. Though we are each born with two kidneys, we really need only one properly functioning kidney to live, which makes living-donor kidney transplants a viable, life-saving option.
Off the Organ Donor Waiting List and On with Life
The wait for an organ from a deceased donor can be long. It can take months or years to get to the top of the transplant waiting list. Living donors offer critically ill people the opportunity to receive lifesaving transplants much earlier than they otherwise would. Once the patient has identified a living donor, the patient can have a second chance at life with a healthy organ. That is exactly what happened with Justin and his dad.
And as if donating a kidney weren’t gracious, brave, and both physically and emotionally demanding enough, Justin decided he wanted to make a nearly unheard-of sacrifice by giving the gift of life a second time. Just two years after saving his father’s life, Justin chose to become a living donor to someone on the waiting list for a liver transplant – someone he had never even met.
“People would ask me: Why would you want to give part of your liver to someone you don’t even know?” says Justin. “My answer was always the same: ‘Why not?’ I watched what my dad went through when he needed an organ. I wanted to keep someone else from going through that if I could."
The process for a living-donor liver transplant is different from the process for a living-donor kidney transplant. Instead of the entire organ being removed, only a portion of the liver is taken out and transplanted into the person with a failing liver. After the surgeries, both the donor’s and recipient’s livers regenerate to full size and function within weeks to months.
Living Donors Give More People a Chance to Live
There are tens of thousands of people on the national transplant waiting list and many will not receive a transplant in time. Living donation gives those on the waiting list another chance to get the lifesaving transplant they need. Through living donation, Justin was not only able to save his dad, but a complete stranger as well. And, as it turns out, the stranger to whom Justin donated a portion of his liver just happened to be his neighbor.
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Living organ donors give the gift of life. Pittsburgher Justin Reed has given the gift of life – twice. Learn more about his story.Read More
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string(4087) "Many of us make the decision to register as an organ donor when we get a driver's license. But did you know that you also can become a living organ donor?
What’s the difference between registering to become an organ donor and registering to be a living donor?
Organ Donation: Making the Decision
Deceased organ donation is the process of donating an organ, or part of an organ, at the time of the donor’s death.
The cause of death determines if someone can be an organ donor and which organs can be donated. Organ removal is only possible after:
- All efforts to save the patient’s life have been exhausted
- Tests have been performed to ensure the absence of brain or brainstem activity
- The patient has been declared brain dead
There is no age limit to becoming an organ donor, and everyone is eligible regardless of race, health, and ethnicity. Almost all major religions support organ donation.
Registering to Become an Organ Donor
Registering to become an organ, eye, and tissue donor is easy; however, this simple, yet generous act can save lives and help more than 75 people.
Most people know that you can register your decision to become an organ donor when you renew your driver’s license. But did you know that you can register online through the National Donate Life Registry? This registry is managed by Donate Life America, and the form only takes about one minute to complete.
Register your decision to become an organ, eye, and tissue donor today at
Registerme.org/UPMC.
Living-Organ Donation: Helping Save the Lives of Those on the Transplant List
Living donation is a type of organ donation that helps save the lives of those on the liver or kidney transplant waiting list.
In addition to offering an alternative to the transplant waiting list, living donor transplants save two lives – the recipient and the person next in line on the organ waiting list.
During a living donor transplant, a healthy donor can give a
portion of their liver or
one of their kidneys to a patient on the transplant waiting list.
Healthy living donors must:
- Be between the ages of 18 and 55 for living-liver donation, and between the ages of 18 and 75 for living-kidney donation
- Be in general good health
- Have an unselfish desire to contribute to another person’s life in a healthy and meaningful way
Registering to Become a Living Donor
To become a living donor, first complete the
living donor registration. This helps determine if a potential donor meets the initial qualifications to become a living donor.
From there, a potential living donor undergoes an extensive transplant evaluation to make sure he or she is a good candidate for living donor surgery and that donating poses the least possible risk to both the donor and the recipient.
Why Is Organ Donation so Important?
With 115,000 men, women, and children waiting for lifesaving organ transplants, the largest football stadium in the United States can’t hold all the people on the national transplant waiting list. By registering as an organ donor or a living donor, you offer hope and a second chance to these individuals."
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How is registering to become an organ donor different from registering to be a living donor? Learn the facts about organ donation and how you can save lives.Read More
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string(3816) "What Is Corneal Donation?
Often, the best way to fix an injured or diseased cornea is to replace it with a healthy cornea from an eye donation. There is no artificial substitute for human corneas. The surgery, called keratoplasty, can help restore vision, alleviate pain, and improve the damaged eye's appearance. It is successful in 95 to 99 percent of cases, according to the Eye Bank Association of America (EBAA).
Who Can Donate?
The good news is — unlike donation of most other organs — almost anyone can be a corneal donor. Your blood type doesn't have to match that of the recipient. You can be any age or gender. It doesn't matter what color your eyes are — or even if your eyesight was good or bad. And a single corneal donor can restore sight for two people. However, you may be disqualified from donating corneas if you suffer from a highly communicable disease like HIV or hepatitis.
How Do I Become a Donor?
In many states, you can become an organ donor by checking a box on your driver's license application. Some states allow you to specify that you are donating eyes. The U.S. Department of Health & Human Services has a national organ donor website, where you can select your state. You can also register as a corneal donor with the EBAA. Or you can visit UPMC.com/DonateLife to register as an organ, eye, and tissue donor.
Even if you're already registered as an organ donor, you should inform your family and close friends of your wishes. The Eye Bank (the nonprofit organization that obtains and distributes eyes used in corneal transplants) will contact the donor's family after death to obtain authorization. The more clearly you've discussed (or written down) your directives, the more quickly the donation can proceed.
Corneas can be recovered several hours after death and stored. The rest of the eye tissue may be used for research or educational purposes. The transplant can be performed up to 14 days after donation. Donating corneas will not affect funeral arrangements or the donor's appearance.
How Corneal Transplantation Works
While looking through a microscope, the eye surgeon will remove all or part of the cornea and replace it with a healthy layer of donor cornea. The surgery is usually done as an outpatient procedure under a local anesthetic. The procedure typically lasts under an hour. The eye will be numb, and the recipient can go home the same day.
Corneal transplants have been performed since 1905. Since 1961, more than 1.7 million people have received a successful corneal transplant from an eye donation. In 2016, nearly 83,000 corneal transplants were performed in the United States.
To register as an organ, eye, and tissue donor, visit UPMC.com/DonateLife. Organ donors have the potential to save up to eight lives and enhance the lives of 75 others, including giving the gift of sight.
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Corneal transplantation, made possible by eye donation, is a common surgery — and one with a high success rate. Learn about becoming a cornea donor.Read More
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string(5076) "Each day, 20 people die waiting for an organ transplant, yet many of these deaths are preventable. According to the U.S. Health and Services Administration, while 95% of the adult population endorses organ donation, only 54% of the people in our country are registered organ donors. That's mainly because people don't know exactly what they'd be signing up for. Still others don't know how to become an organ donor.
Together, we can help change that.
For people whose organs are failing because of disease or injury, donated organs and tissue may offer the gift of life. Everyone who signs up to be a donor is giving recipients a second chance to live their lives to the fullest. By choosing to be an organ donor, you can save up to eight lives, and enhance the quality of life of up to 75 people!
Two Routes to Organ Donation
In short, there are two ways you can give the gift of life through organ donation.
You can become a living donor.
A living person can donate a kidney or a portion of their liver. UPMC does not do living-donor lung, pancreas or intestinal transplants.
Living donor transplant offers an alternative for people on the transplant waiting list and increases the number of organs available, saving more lives. The living donation process begins with an assessment at an accredited transplant center to determine eligibility. Next is the matching process. Often, living organ donors have a beneficiary in mind when they undergo the suitability check. Others simply desire to save a person's life, even if they don't know the recipient personally.
You can register as an organ donor.
The second way to give life is to register for deceased organ donation. This simply means that you authorize medical professionals — at the time of your death — to assess your eligibility to transplant your healthy organs or tissues into someone in need. Registering to be a deceased organ donor doesn't guarantee that you will save someone else's life, but it does make that possible in the right circumstances.
If you choose to be a deceased organ donor, you may be able to donate your heart, kidneys, liver, pancreas, intestines, or lungs. You also can donate tissues, such as your corneas, heart valves, ligaments, veins, and bone.
Organ Donation Myths
The first and most common myth about organ donation is that not all efforts will be made to save your life if you are registered as an organ donor. This notion is simply not true. Organ donation is not even considered until you are deceased.
Second, many think that they will not be able to have an open casket funeral. This notion also is false. There will be no signs of organ or tissue donation when your body is prepared for burial.
People often think their family will have to incur extra costs to donate their organs. This also is not true.
Finally, some think that they are not in good enough health to be an organ donor, or that they are too old. However, there are no medical or age restrictions put on organ donors.
Becoming an Organ Donor
Becoming an organ donor couldn't be easier. Simply add your name and information to the National Donate Life Registry by visiting UPMC.com/DonateLife.
You also can have the Organ Donor designation put on your driver's license whenever you visit a Penndot Photo License Center. It is important to make your wishes known clearly to your family. Although registering as an organ donor becomes a legal document and your family cannot change a choice that you have made, it is important for your family to know your decision. This is especially important if you are under 18, as you need parental consent to declare yourself an organ donor. Children and teenagers are in need of organs too!
If all the conditions for successful transplantation are met upon your death, your gift of donated organs and tissues could help to up to 75 people. Whether you opt for living or deceased organ donation, you are making a difference.
To give the gift of life, register to become an organ, eye, and tissue donor at UPMC.com/DonateLife, or join the conversation about living donation by following us on Facebook today."
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Each day, 22 people die waiting for an organ transplant, yet many of these deaths are preventable. Learn how giving the gift of life is possible.Read More
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string(5015) "In the U.S., nearly 14,000 people wait on the liver transplant waiting list as their health continues to deteriorate. Every year, approximately 2,800 of those patients will not receive their transplant in time because of a limited supply of deceased-donor livers.
But for eligible patients, there is another option: living-donor liver transplantation.
By pursuing living donation, patients on the liver transplant waiting list can receive a transplant sooner. Patients who receive a living-donor liver transplant do not take priority over or skip ahead of other patients on the waiting list, but rather, are able to get out of line because they have identified a suitable living donor, such as a family member or friend.
To understand this, we’ll have to learn more about how the waiting list works and what living donor transplantation offers.
How Does the Waiting List Work?
Although people often imagine the liver transplant waiting list as one big national line, it’s more like a series of regional pools.
The United Network for Organ Sharing (UNOS) breaks up the national waiting list into 11 regions, which usually include several states and many hospital systems. For instance, UNOS Region 2 includes Washington, D.C., Delaware, Maryland, New Jersey, Pennsylvania, and West Virginia.
On these regional lists, patients are prioritized by their Model for End-stage Liver Disease (MELD) score, assigned by a doctor and meant to reflect their likelihood of death within a three-month period. The higher your MELD score, the higher chance you will receive a deceased-donor liver when it becomes available.
But a patient shares that MELD score with many other patients in each region and even at each hospital. Besides MELD, many other factors determine your ability to receive a deceased-donor liver transplant. To learn more, read “Understanding the Liver Transplant Waiting List.”
What Is Living-Donor Liver Transplantation?
During a living-donor liver transplantation, a surgeon removes a portion of a healthy person’s liver and transplants it into a patient with end-stage liver disease. This transplant is made possible by the liver’s unique ability to regenerate or regrow. Although recovery time may vary, the livers of both the donor and the recipient will regenerate in eight to 10 weeks.
Before this surgery can take place, a patient with liver disease must identify a person willing to donate a portion of their liver. The patient shares their story with as many people as possible until they find a potential donor. They often do this with the help of a Champion, a friend or family member who devotes their time to helping the patient find a living donor, so that the patient can rest.
When a living donor decides to donate, they give a selfless gift that saves not only their family member, friend, or acquaintance with liver disease, but also could impact the entire transplant community by helping to reduce the organ shortage.
How a Living Donor Saves Lives
By donating a portion of their liver, a living donor helps to reduce demand for deceased-donor livers.
Imagine a patient named John standing and waiting patiently with a group of other patients, all of whom need a liver transplant and have only a small chance of getting a deceased-donor organ in time. Each patient’s chance of getting a liver is lower if more people stand in the pool. But John steps out of that pool by identifying a suitable living donor, not only saving his own life but also increasing every remaining patient’s chance to receive a deceased-donor liver.
At UPMC, our mission is to raise awareness of living donation, and we believe that a combination of living donors and deceased donors could significantly reduce, and possibly eliminate, the wait time for every patient on the liver transplant waiting list.
We’re dedicated to educating the community about living donation so that patients with end-stage liver disease have increased access to transplantation.
That’s why we discuss living-donor liver transplantation with every patient suffering from end-stage liver disease.
To learn more, visit LifeChangingLiver.com."
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string(187) "By pursing living donation, patients on the liver transplant waiting list can receive a transplant sooner. Learn about how living donation saves lives from the experts at UPMC HealthBeat."
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By pursing living donation, patients on the liver transplant waiting list can receive a transplant sooner. Learn about how living donation saves lives from the experts at UPMC HealthBeat.Read More
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string(1471) "Living organ donation isn’t as rare as you think. In fact, 47 percent of all transplanted organs in the United States are from living donors.
But there is a great need for living liver donors. More than 15,000 Americans are on the waitlist for a liver transplant, but only 5,000 deceased donor livers are available.
3 Types of Living Organ Donation
There are three categories of living organ donation.
Directed donation
The donor specifically chooses who will receive the organ transplant.
Non-directed donation
The donor is neither related to nor known by the person in need. He or she makes the donation out of selfless reasons. The recipient is determined primarily by medical compatibility.
Paired donations (kidney only)
This involves at least two pairs of living kidney donors and transplant candidates who do not have matching blood types. The transplant candidates trade donors, so each recipient receives a kidney from a donor with a compatible blood type."
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Did you know 47 percent of all transplanted organs in the United States are from living donors? Learn more about the living organ donation.Read More
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string(4462) "Becoming a living transplant donor is a major decision.
You’re not just saving one life. You're giving a piece of your liver for someone else to live a happier, healthier life. And you forever leave a mark on your liver recipient’s family and friends.
Being a living liver donor comes with benefits and risks that you should know before deciding to donate.
Read more about the recovery process and life after living liver donation.
Click Here to Learn More about Receiving a liver transplant. Contact UPMC.
Fill out the form below or call 833-683-3555 for more information.
Recovery for Living Donors
The recovery process for living liver donors is different for everyone and depends on your health before the surgery.
Fortunately, you won't need to take any medications after your surgery. And you should be able to go home in about a week.
Once you're home, you'll be able to return to most of your normal activities, including:
- Showering
- Getting dressed
- Simple daily tasks around the house
You will have some limits after your surgery. For example, you:
- Will need someone to take care of physical household activities.
- Won’t be able to drive for about three weeks.
- Shouldn’t push or lift heavy objects or children.
Most donors can return to work about eight weeks after surgery. If your job requires heavy lifting, bending, or stretching, you will need a few extra weeks off before going back to work.
Tips for Staying Healthy After Living Donor Surgery
After a liver transplant, it's crucial to maintain a healthy lifestyle. This will help you heal faster and return to normal life.
Stay healthy after your living donor liver transplant with these tips:
- Avoid heavy lifting. You won’t be able to lift more than 10 pounds after surgery. Lifting too much too soon could cause you to get a hernia.
- Stick to a healthy diet. Avoid fried or creamy foods and excess cheese.
- Try to exercise. You can do some physical activity one or two days a week as you heal. Avoid anything that’s overly exerting.
- Drink plenty of water. Drinking water will help you heal and prevent constipation.
Liver regeneration
It’s helpful to keep in mind that, as a donor, your
liver will return to its normal size after you have donated.
The portion the surgeon removed will not grow back, but the rest of your liver will grow to fill that space. This regeneration takes about two to three months.
Remember,
life-saving transplants would not be possible without you. While you'll need to take your time recovering, you will get back to a normal and healthy life after being a donor.
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Being a living transplant donor is a major decision. Learn more about the recovery process and life after living liver donation.Read More
