Organ Donation Myth #1

I'm still coming down from the elation of the news of my granddaughter, due in November. However, I wanted to address one of the most widespread myths about organ donation. When I speak the issue never fails to come up.

Myth: If the doctors and hospital know I'm an organ donor they won't do everything they can to save my life. That is completely wrong.

First, the doctors who declare a patient brain dead ( it takes two) are the treating physicians. The doctor and nurses wh0 recover the valuable, life-saving organs upon a patient's death are from an Organ Procurement Organization (OPO), set up by the federal government. They are unrelated to the hospital or the physicians who declare the patient dead.

Second, with all the people who treat a dying patient, there would have to be a massive conspiracy to hide a false declaration of death by the hospital. Someone would blow the whistle.

Third, a good prosecutor wouldn't hesitate to charge the doctors with first degree murder.

Doctors do everything they can to save their patients. Most take it very hard when they lose one. Don't let such a silly myth keep you from saving the lives of others by being an organ donor.

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