Approximately 100,000 American citizens are currently waiting for a miracle to occur in their life. These individuals awake daily with one wish and pray each night that their wish will come true. The desires of the many are realized and yet there are those who are never granted their wish. Organ transplants offer a continuation of life for any individual who is afflicted with the condition of organ failure. This continuation of their life may come at the cost of another individuals death.

Organ donation provides life to those in need and is dependent on the decision made by a donor or the family of a donor. Death is not a subject that most people want to consider and may be one reason that potential donors do not plan for organ donation. The cost of this denial is thousands of lives. American men, women, and children die daily because of a shortage of organ donations. Public awareness regarding the facts of organ donation can promote the need for more donors to come forward. The generous decision to become an organ donor will offer the possibility of saving or improving the lives of many.

Organ donors are not limited by age or medical conditions. Medical criteria will be used to determine which organs and tissue are suitable for transplant. There is no cost associated with being a donor. The cost of the transplant process is charged to the individual receiving the donation. One donor can save or improve up to fifty lives and leave the living legacy of ultimate giving.

The process to become an organ donor is an easy one. Most states have a donor registry that allows you to register yourself as a donor. You can also designate yourself as a donor on your driver’s license or carry a signed organ donor card. The final step involves letting your family know that your last wish is to save the life of another.

The decision to become a living organ donor may be initiated by the need of a family member or friend. Sometimes the decision is based on an altruistic desire to improve or save the life of another. Acceptable living donor candidates have good health overall. Diabetes, high blood pressure, cancer and communicable diseases would prevent a person from becoming a living donor.

Individuals interested in becoming a living organ donor should contact a transplant center and begin the evaluation process. Potential donors are screened through a complete physical and physicological examination. Several tests will be a part of the entire process. Blood tests and tissue typing will identify compatibility between donors and recipients. An antibody screen will indicate how the transplant candidates antibodies will react to the donor organ. A potential donor will also be subject to x-rays and EKG’s to test for heart and lung disease and will undergo a CAT scan or MRI that will allow medical personnel to examine the organ that will be donated.

Potential organ donors will face a difficult process, both physically and emotionally. It is important that donors are forthcoming about an concerns or fears that they have regarding the donation process. The act of organ donation will be draining. Consideration of the risks and impact to the donor’s work and home life are important. There is also a potential impact on a donor’s ability to obtain and keep health insurance post surgery. Acting as an organ donor may be identified as a pre-existing condition.

When an organ donor makes the decision to follow through with the entire process, another life is saved. When a transplant is the result of a living donation, the odds are more favorable for a successful outcome. The decision to become a living organ donor is an honorable one and should be commended.

The time spent on an organ donation transplant list can determine the difference between life and death. The Organ Procurement and Transplantation Network (OPTN) is tasked with linking everyone that is involved in the transplant process. The goal of OPTN is to promote organ donation and match organ recipients to available organs. The United Network of Organ Sharing (UNOS) is charged with operating the OPTN. The UNOS is a non-profit organization that serves under a contract with the federal government. The OPTN and UNOS are consistently involved in advances that take place in the field of organ transplant and they maintain current and up to date policies related to the transplantation process.

Patients with a condition that presents organ failure must be evaluated to determine eligibility for an organ transplant. A transplant candidate is selected they will be accepted by a transplant hospital. At this time the patient is placed on an organ donation waiting list. There are many factors that are considered in selecting a recipient when an organ becomes available. The distance between the identified organ and a recipient is important due to maintaining the viability of the available organ.

There are three levels considered when location distance is being identified. The first level is the local level. This area is served by the local organ procurement organization. The next level considers a regional area when there are no recipients identified in the local area. Regional areas are defined from 500 miles to 1,500 miles from the available organ. When there are no recipient identified at the local or regional areas, the organ will become available nationwide.

To increase the chance of receiving an organ, some transplant recipients choose to be placed on multiple waiting lists at different locations. This process requires the approval of the transplant facility and presents additional costs associated with the transplant. The increased chance of survival is worth it.