bLife

About Organ Transplantations

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About Organ Donation

A single organ donor can save up to 8 people’s lives and dramatically improve the lives of up to 50 people through tissue donation.

Organ donors and recipients do not have to be a “perfect match”. Because current medicines to prevent rejection are so effective, completely unrelated people can donate and receive organs. All that is required is a compatible blood type and the absence of antibodies (immune cell proteins) in the recipient that are directed toward the donor.

People who are in perfect health can become living donors to those in need of kidney or liver transplants.

People who donate one of their kidneys to a dear friend or loved one stay in the hospital about 2 days, return to work in 4-6 weeks, and have no greater risk for kidney disease long term compared to the general population.

You do not need to be in perfect health to be a deceased donor. Preexisting medical conditions do not necessarily

preclude you from being an organ donor. The decision as to whether your organs are transplantable is made at the time of donation by the surgeons and other transplant professionals.

You do not need to be young to be an organ donor. Not uncommonly, donors in their 70s and 80s are considered and if medical tests and biopsies are acceptable, some of these organs can end up saving people’s lives.

People who have been told they cannot donate blood can still become organ donors. Highly sensitive testing is performed on all donors to detect viruses such as HIV and Hepatitis B and C. A history of high risk drug use or sexual behavior does not prohibit consideration for organ donation. If such a history exists and the highly sensitive viral testing is negative, then the physicians will discuss these cases with potential recipients to request special informed consent. The recipient can deny acceptance of such organs without changing their status on the waiting list.

About Organ Transplantations

Thousands of people suffer from end stage organ disease, a process in which vital organs such as the heart, liver, kidneys, lungs, pancreas, or intestines have nearly or completely failed as a result of disease, injury, or toxic insult.

Organ transplantation is highly successful in restoring people with end stage organ failure back to complete health, with average success rates greater than 80%.

Medicines that are currently used to prevent rejection are extremely effective and safe to take when carefully monitored by transplant professionals.

The vast majority of rejection episodes that happen within the first several years of transplant are completely reversible. These days it’s unusual to lose a transplanted organ due to “acute” rejection.

Kidney failure patients live longer, more normal lives after a successful transplant compared to remaining on dialysis.

Most recipients of transplants receive their organs from deceased donors, but recipients of kidney, liver, and (occasionally) lung transplants can receive organs from living donors.

Links

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Become A Donor

Organ donors are true modern day heroes. They save lives upon their passing or during their lives through living kidney or liver donation. They leave a legacy of compassion and meaning. Their life force lives on in another human being who is restored to health. They participate in the cycle of life. It is a profoundly spiritual act of indescribable kindness and bravery.

Whatever your thoughts are on organ donation, you should discuss them with your family and others close to you. When there is confusion as to the organ donation wishes of someone who has suffered a devastating injury or medical catastrophe, it can be extremely difficult for family members or loved ones to have to make such decisions. If you do not want to be an organ donor, tell everyone right now. If you do want to be an organ donor, tell everyone right now. Then register.

To register to become an organ donor in New York State, go to the New York Donate Life Registry. If you’re not from New York, visit Donate Life America to register. Unfortunately, organ donation registries are statewide entities and there is currently no national registry. This makes stating your intentions clearly on organ donation to your loved ones all the more important.

You can also request “Organ Donor” to be displayed on your NY driver’s license (along with the little red heart symbol), but this information is not linked to the New York Donate Life Registry. Consider doing both.

Finally, when you write your Living Will and designate a Healthcare Proxy, you should also document your wish to be an organ donor.

Links

Local Organ Donation Sites

Finger Lakes Donor Recovery Network
http://www.donorrecovery.org
Transplant Awareness Organization
http://www.tao-rochester.org
Kidney Cares
http://www.kidneycares.org
Rochester/Finger Lakes Eye & Tissue Bank
http://www.rehpb.org
bLifeNY FaceBook page
http://www.facebook.com/pages
/Blifeny/224810204243031
Dr. Barry’s website and blog
http://www.livercancergenomics.com

National Organ Donation Sites

Donate Life America
http://donatelife.net
U.S. Department of Health & Human Services Division of Transplantation
http://www.organdonor.gov
United Network for Organ Sharing
http://www.unos.org
Scientific Registry of Transplant Recipients
http://www.ustransplant.org
Transplant Living
http://www.transplantliving.org
New York State Organ Donor Registration Form
https://apps.nyhealth.gov/professionals
/patients/donation/organ/DonorRegistration.action

About bLifeNY

bLifeNY is a grassroots organ donation awareness group founded by Drs. Mark Orloff and Chris Barry at the University of Rochester Medical Center. Members include high school, college, and medical students, transplant professionals, and transplant advocates in the community. Our primary aim is to increase awareness of organ donation and transplantation through creative venues and personalized education.

We welcome and seek out opportunities to cooperate with and share information with other organ donation organizations both locally and nationally. We endeavor to engage in “academic social activism” to bring about understanding and enthusiasm for organ donation through science, social media, community engagement, and creativity.

We hope to encourage people to register to be an organ donor by creating appropriate venues, in addition to the DMV and hospital, for thoughtful consideration of such an important and serious decision. Also, we want to stress the importance of talking to your family and loved ones about your decision, so that everyone knows what your intentions are.

YOU HAVE THE POWER TO SAVE AND ENHANCE OTHER PEOPLE'S LIVES THROUGH ORGAN DONATION.

About Organ Donation

TRANSPLANTATION IS ONE OF THE MOST REMARKABLE SUCCESS STORIES IN THE HISTORY OF MEDICINE.

18 PEOPLE DIE EACH DAY WHILE AWAITING TRANSPLANT.

True Stories

DONATING ORGANS IS NOT SOMETHING WE THINK ABOUT EVERYDAY — UNLESS, OF COURSE, WE ARE THE ONE WHO NEEDS AN ORGAN.

NEW YORK STATE IS RANKED 49TH NATIONALLY IN STATE REGISTRY ENROLLMENT FOR ORGAN DONATION.

Become a Donor

HAVE YOU CONSIDERED BECOMING AN ORGAN, EYE AND TISSUE DONOR?

About Organ Transplantations

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About Organ Donation

About Organ Donation

About Organ Transplantations

Links

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Become A Donor

Become A Donor

Links

Local Organ Donation Sites

National Organ Donation Sites

About bLifeNY