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The gift of life |
 Death, especially our
own, is not something
that we’re generally comfortable talking
about. In fact, bringing
up the ‘d’ word in front
of family and friends
will more often that not
end with someone
(usually your mum)
telling you to stop
being morbid.
But death is an inevitable part of life and it’s important that associated issues, like whether or not you want to be an organ donor are discussed while you’re still alive. Otherwise you might find that when your time comes, your wishes aren’t carried out.
The world’s first successful organ transplant occurred in America in 1954. Back then it was nothing short of a miracle. Never before had the medical world been able to successfully take a part of one person and transplant it into another.
Today, however organ and tissue transplants are more common – the Department of Health and Ageing estimates that more than 30,000 Australians have undergone transplant surgery in the past 60 years.
But despite an increasing number of transplants, Australians Donate, the peak body for organ and tissue donation, estimates that there are approximately 2000 Australians still waiting for a transplant. And Australia has one of the lowest organ donor rates in the developed world –
with only 9.8 donors for every million people.
So why is our donor rate so low?
There are two main reasons – only one percent of people actually die
in circumstances that are suitable for donation, and family members are often not aware of a person’s wishes regarding organ donation once they pass away.
Not everyone who dies
can donate their organs
Under Australian law a person can be declared dead if they have a cardiac death (their heart stops beating) or brain death (their brain is severely and irreversibly damaged). Although our tissues can commonly be donated regardless of how or where you die,
it’s not the same for our organs.
When we suffer a cardiac death, our blood stops flowing immediately. This damages our organs and usually makes them unsuitable for transplantation. However, if we die a brain death, while on artificial ventilation, our blood will continue to flow to our organs and keep them suitable for transplant.
An additional related reason for our low donor rate, says Professor Neil Boyce, Executive Officer of LifeGift Victoria, is that healthcare professionals sometimes fail to identify potential donors. He believes that we lose up to 20 percent
of potential donors because they are
not properly identified and managed
by healthcare professionals.
But I don’t know
what they want?
Another reason for our low organ donation rate is that families of potential donors are often not certain of their loved one’s wishes.
“Around 50 percent of people who wish to become donors don’t tell their families what they want,” says Neil.
“Many families agonise over what to do and often eventually say they just can’t make a ‘yes’ decision.”
So if we’re going to increase Australia’s donor rate, it’s important to make your own decision regarding organ donation and talk to your loved ones about what you want to happen after you’re gone.
“We live in a society where talking about death is almost taboo,” says Neil. “We’re just not comfortable talking about our own mortality. But it’s important that those around us know what our intentions are.
“Most people will tick the box on their driver’s licence and think that’s enough. But it’s not.
“Although it rarely happens – in Victoria, it has only happened once in seven years – your family has the ability to override your decision to donate once you die. The only way to ensure your wishes are carried out is to make sure that your family and friends know exactly what you want. It’s also a good idea to register with the Australian Organ Donor Register.”
Neil believes that the only way to increase our donor rate is to facilitate more discussion on organ donation
as an important public health issue.
“As a community we need to work out why we are so reluctant to discuss death. Our low organ donation rate needs to be treated as a public health problem like drink driving, wearing seatbelts, smoking or obesity. We need to focus on behavioural change within our society.”
Marcia Coleman, Chair of Australians Donate, understands that it can be difficult talking about what happens
to our body after we die.
“I know it’s difficult thinking about these things because none of us want to imagine someone we love dying. But visit any hospital and spend some time with a patient waiting for a new kidney or a new lung, or watch a TV program about a child who’s received a transplant and has a new lease on life and you might change your mind.
“Donating your organs when you die
is one of the most selfless things you can do.
“And while there’s no doubt that it’s devastating when a family member dies, it can be comforting knowing that something good has come out of their tragedy. It really is the gift of life.”
The gift of a kidney – Mill’s story
The phone call came at about 2am and with a six-week-old baby I assumed it was her cry that had woken me.
But no, it was my husband’s kidney specialist from the Alfred Hospital. Mill had been on dialysis as a result of kidney failure for about six months and despite his six-hour dialysis sessions three times a week, was still working full-time and was away in Mildura for work.
The call was to say a donor kidney was available for transplant. On hearing the news Mill drove the eight hours back to Melbourne in time to receive a new kidney later that day.
Six years on, it is hard to believe the amazing chain of events which resulted in the restoration of Mill’s health and, as a result, the lives of
our family being transformed.
Mill was determined not to let dialysis rule his life. At 39, and with our first baby due soon, he made a huge effort to fit dialysis into our lives by learning to dialyse at home. This gave him the flexibility of having treatment at times which suited him – and us – including going on to the machine within hours of our daughter’s birth and being able to cuddle her in those early months
of her life.
But the transplant meant the long hours of dialysis were over. We will never know who the generous donor was but, to all donors, their families and everyone who has registered, thank you. A new organ really is
a gift of new life.
Did you know?
When you die, you are able to donate your heart, liver, lungs, kidneys, pancreas, corneas, skin, bone, pancreas islet and heart valves. And depending on how many organs you choose to donate, each donor has the potential to help
up to 10 other people.
- Between 1989 and 2006, 60 percent of organ and tissue donors were males and 40 percent female.
- Of the 1784 people waiting for an organ (as at March 2007), 1415 were waiting for a kidney, 75 for a heart, 137 for a liver, 112 for a lung and 45 for a pancreas.
- Each year there are only approximately 200 organ donors across Australia and around 100 people die each year waiting for
an organ transplant.
- Organ transplants don’t just benefit the individual. They can have a huge impact on the broader health system with every organ transplanted estimated to save the health
budget more than $1 million.
Who can donate?
Many people assume that they’ll either too old or unhealthy to donate their organs and tissue when they die. But the fact is anyone from the age of 12 months to 90 years can become an organ donor.
When determining if someone is a suitable organ donor, doctors will
take into account:
-
The circumstances surrounding
their death
-
Any past medical history
-
The person’s age (to determine
how well their organs function)
You might be surprised to know that even people who smoke, wear glasses, drink alcohol or regularly take medication can still be organ donors.
Want to register?
You can register on the Australian Organ Donor Register by calling 1800 777 203,
visiting any Medicare office or online at medicareaustralia.gov.au.
For more information on organ donation, visit australiansdonate.org.au or organdonor.com.au
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