The Diocesan Dialogue
Current Issue
November 2007

Organ Donation Isn't Scary!

By Alex McDonald

During the Halloween season we typically think of scary things that go bump in the night—or cute youngsters in their costumes imitating the latest superheroes or mutant turtles. Even scarier, adults dressing like Elvis or Paris Hilton.

What's really scary this Halloween season is the fact that the number of people on the national transplant waiting list will soon hit 100,000. Think of every man, woman, and child in Ogden, Provo, or Sandy as a patient waiting for a life-saving transplant and you get the picture. It's scary.

Every day approximately 20 of those citizens, neighbors, and friends will die while waiting. What's even more frightening is the fact that this doesn't have to happen. Why does this waiting list continue to grow? Because of myths and misconceptions that make donation soooo scary.

So let's dispel some of those scary myths.

Scary Myth Number One: If I have yes on my driver license, will the emergency room do everything they can to save my life, or will they let me go because I'm a donor? Fact: Having a "yes" on your driver license will NOT impact your medical care. Hospital personnel have no idea who is on the transplant waiting list, so they have no idea who would be a match for whom. Medical staffs worry about one thing and one thing only—how to save lives. Why would they let one person die, just to save another? I have to admit, if I believed this silly myth I'd be scared too!

Scary Myth Number Two: I'm too old to be a donor. Fact: Organs and tissues can be recovered up to the age of 80. What's really scary is that healthy people ages 50 to 60 think they are too old. What has our popular culture done to us to make us think that 50 is OLD!?!?

Scary Myth Number Three: If I can't donate blood, I can't be an organ donor. Fact: Unless you have been bitten by a vampire with rabies, more often than not you can still be an organ donor, even if you can't donate blood.

Scary Myth Number Four: My family/estate will have to pay the cost of recovering organs and tissues. Fact: Recovery costs are paid by the organ recovery organization, NOT the donor's family or estate.

Scary Myth Number Five: I can't have an open casket funeral if I am a donor. Fact: Donation does not limit your option of an open casket funeral.

Don't be afraid this Halloween to register as an organ, eye, and tissue donor. Help take some of the fear away for the 100,000 people waiting who worry, because scary myths might cost them their lives. You can go online to www.yesutah. org , call 1-866-YES-UTAH, or just say "yes" on your driver license or ID card.

Alex McDonald is Director of Public Education and Public Relations, Intermountain Donor Services.

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