LifeGift

Q: Who can be a donor?

A: Anyone who meets the suitability criteria for any organs or tissues, providing that the individual or family members give consent, can be a donor. Suitability criteria vary depending on the organ or tissue and its condition at the time of death.

Q: My family members do not believe in donation. How can I make sure that I will be a donor?

A: Sometimes, resistance to donation is simply an unwillingness to contemplate the death of a loved one. The best thing you can do is register your wishes to become an organ and tissue donor at www.DonateLifeTexas.org. This registry serves as your consent to become a donor.

Q: Can an individual or families designate that donated organs or tissues go to a specific individual?

A: The national policy, set by the United Network for Organ Sharing (UNOS), is designed whereby the sickest person usually gets a donated organ from a deceased individual. Blood type and size also impact who will receive a particular donated organ. The policy does allow for directed donation, whereby an organ is designated to go to someone – by name. The most common scenario is a directed donation to someone known personally by the donor family. The Uniform Anatomical Gift Act (UAGA) and Texas Anatomical Gift Act state that a person, hospital or physician can receive a particular organ. UNOS policy states that donation of an organ(s) cannot discriminate against a person or class of persons on the basis of race, national origin, religion, gender or similar characteristic. LifeGift works diligently to see that the system’s policies are carried out so that a fair and equitable system remains for all the transplant candidates awaiting a lifesaving organ transplant. We do not favor one candidate over any other.

Q: If someone has been declared “brain dead,” is it possible for him/her to recover?

A: No. It is impossible to recover from brain death. Brain death should not be confused with coma or persistent vegetative state. Death can occur in one of two ways: first, when the heart and lungs stop functioning; and second, when the brain stops functioning. Brain death occurs when a person has irreversible, catastrophic brain injury, which causes brain activity to stop permanently. Heart and lung functions can only be maintained with the help of a mechanical ventilator.

Q: Does the family incur any costs or receive any payment related to the donation?

A: The donor family is never billed for expenses related to donation. Also, the donor family is not paid for any donations, as this would be a violation of federal and state laws.

Q: What about funeral arrangements?

A: LifeGift will communicate with a donor's family regarding the timing of organ recovery to help meet the needs involving a funeral. (If the death involves the county medical examiner, it may take a bit longer for the body to be released.) Nevertheless, a donor's body is carefully reconstructed so that donation itself does not interfere with an open-casket funeral.

Q: Can an organ donor also be a tissue donor?

A: Yes. If a donor meets the criteria, both organs and tissues can be removed at the same time. As many as 75 people can benefit from one tissue donor.