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Why is family discussion of organ and tissue donation encouraged?

In almost all cases, organ donation becomes an option when a person
dies suddenly from a head injury or bleeding into the brain. This type of
injury can lead to brain death which, in turn, may bring up the issue of
organ donation. Any patient who dies because his or her heart has
stopped beating has the potential to be a tissue donor.

When a family is faced with the sudden death of a loved one, it can be a
difficult time to discuss the issue of donation. Unfortunately, time is of the
essence, because the organs must be transplanted quickly in order to save
the lives of others. A decision will need to be made quite rapidly regarding
the donation of your family members organs and tissues.

If you, as a family, have discussed your desires regarding donation before
a death occurs, the burden of trying to make a major decision during
a time of grief is lifted from your shoulders. Experience shows that families
find a great deal of comfort in organ and tissue donation. They feel that
something positive has come from an otherwise tragic and meaningless
event. This feeling of comfort is even stronger when they know, based on
previous discussion, that their loved one supported the idea of organ
and tissue donation.

Family discussion is also important because of the misunderstandings
surrounding donor cards and drivers licenses.

It is a common belief that just by signing one of these cards, one will
automatically be a donor if the situation arises. The deceased patient's family,
spouse or partner, however, is the one who will actually be faced with this decision.

This decision will be much easier to make, if the family member knows the
wishes of their loved one for whom they must now speak.

How to get the conversation started

It's important to focus on saving lives. After all, that's really what
organ donation is all about.

You might mention this website, or a TV or radio program you saw/heard, or
an article you read. Or you might say you were thinking that if you had a
chance to save lives, whether that involved saving someone from a burning
building, or from drowning, or through organ donation, that it'd mean a lot
to you to be a Lifesaver. And you can ask your family members if they'd
also want to save lives if they were in a position to do so.

Framing the conversation in this way will make it easier for family members
to discuss this important topic. You may also want to view our FAQ page, so
that you'll readily have the answers to the general questions your family
members may ask.