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Gift Of Life
Transplantation
Society brings organ
and tissue donation to
light with "Legacy"
video.
RUTH LITTMANN STAFF WRITER
early 120 Michigan citizens died
this year waiting for a gift they
didn't receive — a heart, lung,
kidney, pancreas.
Forget the gift wrap. The plain
fact is, the need for organ and tis-
sue donations remains a desper-
ate need. Demand always
outruns supply, a stark reality
leaving 32,000 people across
America hoping their time
doesn't run out before a trans-
plant becomes available.
"Those of us who are deeply in-
volved in organ transplantation
feel that everybody must know
a lot about it," says Dr. Martin
Mozes, head of the transplanta-
tion department at Henry Ford
Hospital. "In talking to people,
friends and relatives — people
close to me — rm always amazed
to see how little they know about
the process."
Dr. Mozes is featured in "Lega-
cy," a 25-minute video created by
the Transplantation Society of
Michigan in an attempt to edu-
cate the public about organ and
tissue donation. The video, de-
veloped locally and distributed
free-of-charge to organizations
and individuals in Michigan and
elsewhere, includes firsthand ac-
counts from doctors, patients,
donor recipients and donor fam-
ilies.
Rabbi Jack Goldman of the
Metropolitan Kashruth Coun-
cil of Michigan . and Sen. Carl
Levip are among those depict-
ed signing their names to organ
donor cards.
"Organ donation is not right
for everybody," says Daniel
Kowalczyk of the Gift of Life
Agency. "But we want to make
sure that everyone has enough
information to arrive at a deci-
sion that is best for the sur-
vivors."
The Gift of Life Agency of
Michigan, a branch of the Trans-
plantation Society, is the state's
only nonprofit, independent
Medicare-certified organ pro-
curement organization, founded
by transplant surgeons in 1971.
When Mr. Kowalczyk began
working for the agency about five
years ago, there were 573 people
in Michigan in need of kidneys.
Now, more than 1,000 await do-
nations. Mr. Kowalczyk attrib-
utes the upsurge to the fact that
transplantation procedures are
more readily available. Kidney
transplantations are the most
successful of all.
This good news doesn't change
the fact that 2,000 people across
the United States die per year
while waiting for an organ — not
including individuals who are
taken off the list because they de-
teriorate too far to remain viable
candidates for transplantation.
"They wait and they wait and
they wait," Mr. Kowalczyk says.
"They just wait too long."
a
tv
About 14,000 organs are
available for transplant nation-
wide each year. Thomas Beyers-
dorf, executive director of the
Transplantation Society of Michi-
gan, estimates that if everyone
qualified to donate organs upon
death actually did so, more than
twice that amount would be
available to potentially save
about 28,000 lives yearly.
But a number of people are
turned off to the option for reli-
gious and other reasons.
Jewish tradition does not cat-
egorically permit organ donation.
The issue is rife with controver-
sy. Traditional responsa hold
that the deceased should be
buried with all appendages and
organs because, when the Mes-
siah comes, the body will be res-
urrected, hopefully intact.
But Rabbi Goldman, who
signed his organ donor card, be-
lieves there are exceptions.
"To experiment with a body
and to cut parts out of it is high-
ly questionable," he says. "It's for-
bidden because the human body
is sacred. It's a temple of God and
... the sanctity of the body ex-
tends to all its parts. It's forbid-
den to cremate the body, to take
a tattoo, or to in any way disfig-
ure a body because it is holy."
But, what if the organ of a
dead person will give life to an-
other human being? In 1958,
LIFE page 44
Common Queries
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42
he Transplant Society of Michigan answers
typical questions about organ and issue do-
nation :
Who can become a donor?
Anyone who has died can become a donor, if
the family grants permission.
Can I change my mind?
Yes. Most importantly, simply tell your fam-
ily. Then change your documents (license, donor
card) and send a letter to the Gift of Life Donor
Registry indicating your wishes. (The number:
1-800-482-4881.)
What organs can be donated?
Kidneys, heart, lungs, liver and pancreas.
What tissues can be donated?
Corneas, whole eyes, skin, bone, heart valves
and saphenous veins.
Does donation leave the body disfigured?
No.
Are there any costs to my family for do-
nation?
No. Donation costs nothing to the donor's fam-
ily or estate. All expenses of donation are paid
for by the Gift of Life Agency. A donor's family is
responsible for regular hospital charges not in-
volved with the donation and the donor's f u ner-
al arrangements.
Will my religion approve of donation?
There is debate on the issue within Judaism.
Some say the body should be kept intact. Others
believe that organ donation is a mitzvah, so long
as it preserves the dignity of the deceased and is
used to help save a life in imminent danger. How-
ever, if in doubt, talk to your spiritual leader.
Could a conflict between saving my life
and using my organs for transplant exist?
Never. Organ and tissue recovery takes place
only after all efforts to save your life have been
exhausted and death has been legally declared.
Entirely different medical teams are called to re-
cover organs and tissue. They are never the same
personnel working to save your life, 0
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