Common Questions

Where can I acquire further organ donation information?

Q. Who can become a donor?
A. All individuals can indicate their intention to donate organs and tissues. The medical suitability of organs and tissues will be determined at the time of death.

Q. Does the cause of death affect what can be donated?
A. Yes. If death occurs from head injury resulting in brain death, there is a good chance that any organ or tissue can be donated. However, if heart death occurs, donation may be limited to tissue and eyes.

Q. What does brain death mean?
A. There are two ways people die. One is called cardiopulmonary death, which is when breathing stops and the heart stops beating. The other type of death is brain death. Brain death is a formal and legal definition of death. It occurs when the flow of blood to the brain is stopped permanently due to a severe attack, injury or tumor. This results in the ceasing of brain function and cannot be reversed. In order to legally declare someone brain dead, two separate doctors, unrelated to the transplant process, must declare that individual to be brain dead.

Q. How do I become an organ donor?
A. Signing a donor card or indicating your desire to donate on your driver's license or in a legal document, such as a will, can help validate your decision. However, your legal next of kin must give consent for any donation to occur. This is why it is extremely important for you to discuss your decision with your family.

Q. How do I share my decision to donate with my family?
A. First, explain to your family why it is important to you. Second, tell them how one person can help and potentially save the lives of more than 50 other people. Third, make sure they know they will be asked for permission at the time of your death. Fourth, have your family witness your decision. If you have already signed a donor card or indicated your wishes on your driver's license, show it to them. If not, have them sign your donor card as your witness. More information about how to approach a discussion with your family and what to expect, consult this helpful guide.

Q. How do donor families feel about organ and tissue donation?
A. Many families consider donation to be a way of creating something positive from a tragic event. Many families also feel that the member of their family that passed away lives on, in some sense, through the lives of the transplant recipients.

Q. Will my family be told of the identity of the recipients that receive donated organs?
A. Identity of the individuals receiving the donation remains confidential. The donor's identity, in turn, is not revealed to the recipient.

Q. How is it determined who will receive the donated organs?
A. Through a waiting list, patients are matched to organs based on blood and tissue typing, medical urgency, time on the waiting list and geographic location. Factors such as race, gender, age, income and celebrity status are not considered when determining who will receive an organ.

Q. Will my decision to become a donor affect the quality of the medical care I receive?
A. No. The quality of medical and nursing care will not change regardless of your decision. Organ and tissue recovery takes place only after all efforts to save your life have been exhausted and death has been legally declared.

Q. Will donation alter funeral arrangements?
A. No. Choosing to be an organ and/or tissue donor does not alter funeral arrangements. Cultural and individual practices can be followed, including open casket viewing.

Q. What organs or tissues can be transplanted?
A. There are innumerable organs and tissues that can be transplanted. Please refer to this guide for a description of the 12 most commonly transplanted organs and tissues.

Q. Are all recovered organs used for transplantation?
A. There are occasions when a donated organ is not suitable for transplantation. For example, tests done on an organ may indicate it will not function well in the transplant recipient. However, organs that cannot be transplanted often can aid in medical research, with permission from the family.

Q. Do transplants really work?
A. Yes. Transplantation is a standard medical procedure, and survival rates are extremely good. The one-year survival rate for kidney recipients is almost 96%, for heart recipients more than 82%, and for liver recipients, more than 77%. Many recipients live full and productive lives for decades after transplantation.

Q. Am I too old to be a donor?
A: Regardless or age, virtually everyone can donate. For more information about the relationship between organ donation and age, consult this guide.

Q. How does my religion view organ donation?
A: Most religions support organ donation. To understand how your religion addresses organ donation, consult this guide.