When Joe Smith got his new driver's license, he checked off a box indicating he wanted to donate his organs in case "the worst should happen." He never thought about it again. What Joe didn't know was that his family would be required to give the final consent to donate his organs. Joe's well-intentioned plan did not end at the site of the car accident that killed him. Rather, his death triggered a wave of activity involving family members, organ procurement organizations, transplant teams, and the recipients of his organs.
Since the nemesis of transplantation can be the clock, experts say that it's best for potential donors to make their intentions known to as many people as possible: their relatives, physicians, religious leaders, and attorney. The more people who know, the better the chances that the donor's wishes will be honored. A donor card, however, is not the only route to organ donation. "Required request" laws require hospitals to routinely offer the next-of-kin the chance to donate their deceased relative's organs and tissues.A host of information is readily available concerning the details of organ donation--for families and physicians--from a variety of transplant organizations.
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