Questions, Comments, or Concerns? You're in the right place.
Below are answers to some of the most common questions, comments, and concerns that people have when considering organ donation which are supported by the staff of Mayo Clinic (for more information, click here). These answers are mostly for deceased donation. However, for any questions which remain unanswered after reading this page, there is a comment box at the bottom of the page which will be checked regularly so readers are encouraged to ask any additional questions there.
Will my doctors care for me as a patient?
Yes. Doctors do everything in their power to save patients and then run tests to be completely sure that brain death has occurred. Only then is a patient's organ donor status considered.
Does organ donation conflict with my religious beliefs?
Most likely, no. Organ donation does not go against the principals of most major religions, including Catholicism, Islam, and most branches of Judaism and Protestant faiths. If you have any remaining concerns, a clergy member could always answer your questions. |
What are the costs associated with being an organ donor?
None. There will still be the normal medical expenses incurred while the doctors are trying to save the patient, but there are no additional charges as an organ donor.
Don't I need to be a certain age to donate organs?
No, age is not a factor in determining what organs can or cannot be used. Minors do need parental consent to be a donor. Other than this difference, becoming an organ donor is the same for everyone, as is the process through which suitable organs are collected.
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Will funeral plans be changed?A common worry is that it will be clear something is missing from the organ donor's body after a transplant is complete. This is not the case. Even though the organ donor is no longer alive at the time of an organ, eye, and tissue donation, the doctors continue to treat the body with respect through the end.
What if I am still alive when my death certificate gets signed?
This is a scary concept which is often displayed in the media, but it is not true in reality. There are more tests run on an organ donor to ensure they are dead than there are on a person who has chosen not to donate.
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