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Brynli Whittaker

Jackie Burr, Instructor

English 2010

12 April 2019

Organ Donation: Deceased Over Living

It takes a selfless family, in a time of personal tragedy, to agree to organ donation and

therefore help others. However, that unfortunately is not always the case. When one is declared

brain dead but has not agreed to being an organ donor or their family refuses, that individual is

taking the life of potentially eight other patients with them. And when this is the case, living

organ donors are the other most reliable option when it comes down to a desperate and

immediate operation. Because there are not enough deceased organ donors available to the

national waiting list, living family members, friends, and sometimes even strangers are

potentially risking their life to save another. Deceased organ donation is the key to maintaining a

healthy level of organ availability and if there were more people signing their organ consent

forms, living individuals would be less likely to approach the decision of donating.

Living organ transplantation is something that intensely impacts the donor, emotionally

and physically. Some are repelled by the idea of surgeons manipulating their corpse simply

because of the idea of it being flagrant; they are contributing to the global shortage. One main

issue regarding consent is vagueness. People who do not discuss their views with their family

members, may later cause confusion involving their wishes once they have already passed. Due

to this, the consequence results in a high amount of avoidable deaths, and distress among the

potential recipients and their families. Shaw also mentions that one way this particular issue
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could be fixed is to require reaffirmation of consent. This would be a wise requirement to take

place yearly because it would clear up any sort of confusion or frustration that may occur

between family members. Another unfortunate reason behind the lack of willingness is the fear

of manipulation over the body and distrust in the doctors leading the system. Some people are

not prepared for the procedures included in the transplantation because they either lack trust, or

they think it is “gross.” This is where Gyllström Krekula and his collaborative partners begin to

believe that a deeper understanding of the medical procedures surrounding organ donation would

help increase the numbers of people agreeing to donate. With the effort of making this

difference, the deceased number of transplants will soon pass the number of living, therefore

making it less life disrupting. Besides, organ shortage is a global issue and deceased organ

donation is the major sustainable solution (Srivastava).

When a relationship is unpresent, it becomes uncommon for one to give up their organs.

Individuals become repelled to the topic of their body parts being removed, especially for a

stranger. ​The brave few who volunteer to save a life are often denied because a true match is so

rare. One highschool principle shared his enigmatic story in order to educate the public. Todd

Quarnberg, principal of Herriman High School, got the last thing he expected: a call declaring

that he was a match.​ He doesn’t shy away from the truth when he tells the story of how he saved

a life. “There is an innate fear of giving up your organs. I’m not going to tell you I wasn’t in

pain. I would do it again, but it was more difficult than I thought it would be” (Quarnberg). This

man, a living organ donor, admitted that he believes if there were more individuals who said yes

to one day being a deceased organ donor, there would be a large decrease in the amount of living
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procedures that result from this disparity. The woman who he saved had been on a national

waiting list for a kidney and was beginning to rightfully lose hope.

Although organ donation is a difficult process, living or dead, emotionally and

physically, there are a number negative and positive outcomes. “It is a life transforming endeavor

and it’s one of the most phenomenal successes of modern medicine (Barry)”. It is something that

will bring heartfelt meaning to one’s life. It in fact often times makes the process of grief for the

family of a deceased individual easier. As far as living donations go, there is a chance of short

term and long term effects, as with any other surgery. ​While the majority of procedures follow

suit of the predicted recovery, there are still many who have suffered life altering consequences

of their selfless decision.​ Jeff Moyer, a living donor is proud to be someone who saved a life:

although it had a very negative impact on his own. “His scars faded, and the pain didn’t

(Cuda-Kroen).” After a year and a half, Moyer experiences pain daily and has currently received

no resolution from any doctors (Cuda-Kroen). ​Quarnberg's story too shared a commonality with
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that of Moyer, speaking of unexpected levels of pain resulting from his surgery​. He experienced

an undeniable amount of pain, laying in bed, while the recipient on the other hand, soon after the

operation, became capable of walking up and down the hospital hallways. The transplantation is

actually something that has a larger impact on the living donor, rather than the receiving patient:

one more reason to wish that deceased operations could outnumber living ones.

Some of the people who are most affected are the family members of the recipient and

especially the donor. After donation, living donors often report a wide range of mixed emotions.

Emotions from joy and relief to anxiety and depression (“What to Expect”). This relates directly

to the living donors and their families because it could lead to disruption between previously

healthy relationships. One’s decision to donate is something that challenges acceptance among

family since the outcome is unpredictable. When Quarnberg told his parents he was donating his

kidney to someone who he only knew by first name, they were far from supportive. It was

confusing to them that he would want to risk his own health for practically a stranger; however,

he knew he was the only option for this woman, living through the process of dialysis

(Quarnberg). There are several concerns that could potentially result from donation that should

be discussed with a doctor before making the commitment and brought to the attention of loved

ones surrounding the donor (“Benefits and Risks”).

Thousands of lives. All because humans have the bodies capable of adaptation, thousands

of lives have been saved through organ donation. Natasha Richardson, among many actresses

and actors who have donated, has set an example to her fans of an altruistic accomplishment;

something much larger than receiving an oscar award for entertainment capabilities. She is

known to all ages from movies such as “The Parent Trap” and “Maid in Manhattan.” After an
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unfortunate deadly accident, she saved three lives through the donation of her heart, liver, and

kidneys. Athletes too, who see the impactive effects of their own health in their own professions,

occasionally share their own stories of sacrifice. Dick Cass, an influencer in the athletic

community, donated an organ to a friend in need to later receive the Donate Life Champion

Award (“16 Celebrities”).

It is appropriate for some individuals to argue against donation due to religious beliefs.

Although religions have a rare reputation of interfering with organ donation, ​Some South Asia

Muslim scholars and jurists oppose donation because they trust that the human body is an

"amanat" (trusteeship) from God; therefore, they teach that the body must not be desecrated

following death (Bruzzone). However, when religion does not play a role, it is still difficult to

penetrate the idea into the popular conscience. One issue that is encouraged to be resolved by

Chris Barry is selfish thinking. Thoughts such as donation being “icky” or saying “I don’t want

to think about dying.” Barry argues that this kind of thinking is killing people. Regardless of this

subject being slightly disturbing, it is more importantly an inexplicable, life changing

opportunity.

Most donors believe that the benefit is worth the risk. People with family and friends who

are waiting for years will eventually make the decision to step up and donate on their own out of

love. According to Chris Barry, an organ transplant surgeon, 6,935 people are dying each year

which is equivalent to 19 people per day, all because they have to wait. One simple signature of

one supportive individual could potentially save 8 lives and improve 50 lives. Living, healthy

people wouldn’t have to put their lives at risk if there were more available organs around the

world.
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Works Cited

Barry, Chris. “Giving the Gift of Life Through Organ Donation.” ​Youtube,​ TEDxFlourCity, 11,

Aug. 2012, ​https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UigBNjBLByc​.

“Benefits and Risks of Becoming a Living Organ Donor.” ​American Transplant Foundation,​

www.americantransplantfoundation.org/about-transplant/living-donation/about-living-do

nation/.

​ ay 2018,
Bruzzone, Paolo. “Religious Aspects of Organ Transplantation.” ​NCBI, M

Transplantation Proceedings,​ ​www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/18555116​.

Cuda-Kroen, Gretchen. “Organ Donation Has Consequences Some Donors Aren't

Prepared For.” ​NPR,​ NPR, 2 July 2012,

www.npr.org/sections/health-shots/2012/07/02/155979681/organ-donation-has-co

nsequences-some-donors-arent-prepared-for.

Gyllström Krekula, Linda, et al. “What Do People Agree to When Stating Willingness to

Donate? On the Medical Interventions Enabling Organ Donation after Death.” ​PLoS

ONE​, vol. 13, no. 8, Aug. 2018, pp. 1–17. ​EBSCOhost​,

doi:10.1371/journal.pone.0202544.

Quarnberg, Todd. Personal Interview. 7 March 2019.

Shaw, David M. “The Consequences of Vagueness in Consent to Organ Donation.” ​Bioethics,​

vol. 31, no. 6, July 2017, pp. 424–431. ​EBSCOhost​, doi:10.1111/bioe.12335.

Srivastava, Aneesh, and Anil Mani. “Deceased Organ Donation and Transplantation in India:

Promises and Challenges.” ​Neurology India,​ vol. 66, no. 2, Mar. 2018, pp. 316–322.
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EBSCOhost​, doi:10.4103/0028-3886.227259.

​ idney​ Foundation​, 5 Dec. 2018,

“What to Expect After Donation.” ​National K

www.kidney.org/transplantation/livingdonors/what-expect-after-donation​.

“16 Celebrities Whose Lives Were Affected by Donation.” ​Infinite Hope​, 3 Jan. 2018,

www.infinitehopeblog.org/blog/stories-of-hope/stories16-celebrities-whose-lives-were-af

Fected-by-donation.