Since I was a young teenager, I knew there were certain things I wanted to do when I grew up: travel the world, own a horse, adopt some children (in addition to having my own), and donate my organs - when I no longer needed them - if possible.
While I've only accomplished a very minute part of the above list (through some traveling), I still plan on being able to, one day, check off each of those items as complete, despite the beliefs of others.
Although they supported me in my other future endeavors, when I told my parents I wanted to donate organs that would serve only as worm food otherwise, they thought I was less than sane.
My father advised me against signing the back of my driver's license for fear of receiving inadequate care in the case of a car accident or some other devastating incident that landed me in the hospital, and my mother thought I was plain crazy for wanting to be cut open and apart.
But I could not understand their reasoning, no matter how hard they tried to drill their opinions into my stubborn head.
According to the United Network for Organ Sharing, 63 people receive an organ transplant each day, while 16 people on the organ waiting list die because of the scarcity of donations.
While I understand people's reluctance to donate vital organs, I do not understand their inability to see past their selfishness to share their life with others, especially when they are sharing things they can no longer use.
Organs like hearts, kidneys, pancreases, lungs, livers and intestines can all be given to someone they can better serve, simply by signing the back of your license or carrying a donor card. There are no age limitations; physical health determines whether a candidate can donate.
In 2001, according to the UNOS, there were 24,110 total transplants of the above organs and 6,520 cadaveric donors. As of Oct. 18, 2002, there were 80,324 patients waiting for various transplants.
These completely disproportionate numbers leave me questioning the common sense of the human race. Out of all UNOS members, only 10 are general public members and eight are voluntary health organizations, as opposed to 398 professional centers and organizations. This poor showing of support for such a crucial aspect of medical science is appalling.
The most commonly transplanted organ is by far the kidney, with 14,184 completed kidney transplants in 2001 (5,979 from living donors). The least commonly donated organs were combination heart-lung transplants (27 in 2001) followed by 111 intestine transplants in the same year.
I find it difficult to understand why over 6,000 living donors were able to donate their organs to help save others, while millions of people refuse to donate their organs after death. Living donations totaled 6,520 in 2001.
The risks to the donor are obviously greater when he or she is living, yet approximately half of all kidney transplants are received from people still able to use them. Despite the obvious risk of death due to surgical complications, there is the long-term risk of possibly needing the donated organ in the future.
According to a CNN.com column by Jeffrey Kahn, director for the Center of Bioethics at the University of Minnesota, there have been only two living-donor reported deaths during the past five years (during which the science of living donation was introduced).
Kahn pointed to the case of Mike Hurewitz, 54, who, earlier this year, died three days after donating part of his liver to his 57-year-old brother, who survived the surgery. Kahn used Hurewitz's death as a platform for his argument against living donors, which are usually family members of the recipient.
Kahn argued that living donors should not put their lives on the line because they are made to feel guilty, as is often the case. "This relationship creates both the impetus to donate and the crux of the ethical worries about the donation," he stated.
But the real issue surrounding Kahn's argument is the fact that living people are willing to undergo surgical procedures that endanger their wellbeing and possibly their lives. What I would like to know is why other people refuse to simply give up something they can no longer use.
I cannot be certain that I would give my organs away while I was alive, and if I did, I'm sure it would only be to a family member, but I know that when they are of no use to me, I want my organs to help whoever needs them.
For more information on organ donation and transplants, visit the UNOS Web site at http://www.organdonor.gov.
