Organ Donation free essay sample

This is a summary of information about organ donation found in the extracts of articles by Boyle (2006) and Wilkinson (2008). It is an overview of facts and opinions of people who support and who oppose organ donation. Boyle (2006) outlines firstly, on her article the positive side of organ donation. She tells that you can always find a life saving experience out of thousands of people because an organ was donated. She says that people take these experiences as a very strong reason to donate. Many people on the other hand that opposes organ donation have their fears and concerns. They do not want to donate organs to those people whose organs have weakened because of unhealthy lifestyle. This is the reason presented by Boyle (2006). In relation to this, Wilkinson (2008) presented the concerns of a physician named Jim Tibbalis who talks about the issues if people fully understand the circumstances when they want to donate an organ and the diagnosis of death prior to organ donation. According to  The Mayo Clinic  (2010),  Organ and tissue donation doesnt interfere with having an open-casket funeral. The donors body is clothed for burial, so there are no visible signs of organ or tissue donation. For bone donation, a rod is inserted where bone is removed.With skin donation, a very thin layer of skin similar to a sunburn peel is taken from the donors back. Because the donor is clothed and lying on his or her back in the casket, no one can see any difference. † Another big concern people give for their reason not to donate is that the hospital will not give them or their family member proper care because the doctor’s know the individual is a donor and will just stop treatment so the organs can be harvested for transplantation. This is completely false. The decision to donate does not affect the care the patient will receive.Most often the question of organ donation is not even an issue until every possible option to save a patient has been exhausted. Donation is not even discussed until after a person dies, or has been put on life support and tests show that there is nothing that can be done to save the individual. Whether it is fear of having their organs taken out, disfigurement, or religious beliefs, there are so many people who refuse to allow their family members organs and tissues to be donated when they pass. Donation however, is so important.Organ donation gives another person the gift of life. Some patients will die without transplantation, so by choosing to donate lifesaving organs and tissue, or choosing to donate a family member’s organs or tissues, this donation is one of the greatest gifts an individual can give, life. Organ Donation is a very sensitive subject; there are so few people who have chosen to donate. In the tragic event of a loved one’s death, donation can help someone else to live, and many believe that with donation this tragedy can turn into a miracle by saving someone else.Individuals who decide to donate their organs need to make sure their wishes are clear to their family and friends, this way the individuals wishes are followed through. After reviewing the facts presented, one can see that choosing to donate ones organs in the case of unexpected death can make a big difference, and not just to one person but several. By making the decision to donate ones organs after they die, one can save or improve as many as 50 lives. Many families that decide to donate a loved one’s organs say that knowing the donation of their loved one’s organs helped save other lives, helped them cope with their loss.