When one door closes, another door opens. Though death is a sad and emotional experience, it also gives you a once-in-a-lifetime chance to save another life or make a gift to humanity. Organ and body donation is one of the most generous and selfless things you can do that still honors the life and memory of those you lost. While most people are for becoming an organ or body donor, there are still several questions that the population is still unsure of. We're here to answer those questions!
Here are some of the most frequently asked questions about body and organ
donation:
- What is the difference between organ donation and body donation?
Organ donations
involve organ transplants to other living people that can potentially save
their lives. Body donation is when you donate your entire body to a medical
school or hospital for medical research and science. If you choose to donate
your organs, you cannot donate your body to science—bodies from which organs
have been removed will not be accepted for medical research. Organ donation
also does not include brain donation—brains are only used for medical research.
- How do you determine if my organs
are eligible for donation? Your organs are accepted once you have passed specific medical
and social requirements. For example, if you have a medical condition that
could spread cancer, heart disease, or another infection to another, your
organs may not be accepted. This is determined by
Organ Procurement Organizations (OPO), which will recover the organs after
death.
- How do I become an organ or body donor? You can register to
become an organ donor at the Department of Motor Vehicles (DMV) when you renew
your license. You can also register online. Once you've decided to be an organ
donor, make sure your family knows your wishes so they can honor your decision
once you have passed. To donate a body, contact a local medical school to see
if they need bodies—they will likely take care of any costs to get the body
over to them.
- Can family members choose to donate their loved one's organs/body? Yes, family members
can choose to donate organs on a dying person's behalf. The OPO must get the
family's consent before retrieving the organs. Family members cannot override a
person's decision if they have already decided to be an organ donor. Once
someone has registered, family members must respect the decision.
- What kind of funeral/end-of-life plans can I make if I choose either of these options? It is still possible to have a service for your loved one and even retrieve the remains after organ or body donation. Hospital workers will embalm a body well enough for an open casket or viewing after an organ transplant. Remains, or cremated remains, of a donated body, can also be returned to families within a year or two, so you can still have a proper burial or scattering of ashes. However, because organ transplants and body donations must happen quickly, it is best to plan a memorial service rather than a funeral or burial soon after death so you can still commemorate a person's life.
Adolf Funeral Home and Cremation Services prides itself on providing exemplary customer service. We take every measure to ensure you are satisfied with all your funeral planning and burial needs during this sensitive time of grief and mourning. We will do whatever it takes to make our workplace environment positive and translate to your experience with us.
Adolf Funeral Home has served the Berwyn and
Willowbrook areas for many years. We pride ourselves on being large enough to provide professionalism and reliability yet small
enough to provide personalized service. To discover
more about how we can serve your needs, please visit our website or call one of our locations today.
Sources:
https://www.nia.nih.gov/health/frequently-asked-questions-about-organ-donation-older-adults
https://www.pcrm.org/ethical-science/animal-testing-and-alternatives/donate-your-body-to-science
https://memorialsocietyofgeorgia.org/resources/body-organ-donation/
No comments:
Post a Comment