..002Ms2 ••• 6:EZIWZSXMVIMONAZIMMIg.M7X0M., 400r0ZiafaarerfifaMEOl 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 T Cr) w C.r) U-1 H— CC LI-1 1.1.1 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 C.= Cf.