Elder Organ Donation

Organ donation is not something I routinely think about but I'm very aware of the miracle of it.  I suppose, like so many, I thought we were too old to make such a donation.

Visiting the organ donor website I was surprised to read this paragraph.

"No one is too old or too young.  Both newborns and senior citizens have been organ donors. The condition of your organs is more important than age.  Someone 35 years old with a history of alcohol abuse may have a liver that is in worse condition than someone 60 years old who has never consumed alcohol.  Doctors will examine your organs and determine whether they are suitable for donation if the situation arises."

It seems having medical issues does not necessarily prevent you being a donor.

"You may still be able to donate your organs.  Doctors will evaluate the condition of your organs when the time arises.  The transplant team's decision will be based on a combination of factors such as your specific illness and your physical condition to determine which organs and tissues can be donated."

"As of May 2015, according to OPTN, there are 55,282 people between 50 and 64 years old on the national waiting list and 25,908 people over 65 years old on the national waiting list."

Go to the organ donor.gov website to read about the process of becoming a donor.

There's also a short brochure especially for elderly donors from the Health and Human Services Department.

For additional information check this website.  The story here of the 93 year old man's liver going to a 69 year old woman was interesting.

This is a subject we will definitely be discussing as a family in the next few days.

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Once again I am indebted to Ronni Bennett for the material used in this blog post.  You will find much more information if you visit her post on the Time Goes By blog.  I encourage you to read what she has to say.