Have you ever wondered if the medical efforts of doctors and nurses are less than heroic when you learn that a patient has signed an organ donation card? Those in the medical community say that’s simply not the case. He emphasizes that. Until now Rob Kochik, executive director of UR Medicine’s Finger Lakes Donor Recovery Network (FLDRN), said of the incident.
Additionally, some families say being able to donate their loved one’s organs is their only ray of hope from a nightmarish personal storm.
Organ donation can help families grieve
There’s no way around it. Funerals are difficult. But last minute gifts can save lives and bring healing to other families. Something positive can come out of the pain.
Organ donation has the incredible power to change an individual’s life.
There is evidence that organ donation can help surviving families make sense of their loss. After organ donation, we stay in touch with the donor’s family and provide ongoing support for at least two years after organ donation to their loved one. Many of these donor family members go a step further and serve on FLDRN’s Donor Family Advisory Committee and share their valuable insights, for which we are extremely grateful. Who better to learn from than the families of previous donors?
In a recent survey, families said they were motivated by the prospect that “something positive might happen.” [their] “Loss,” “Someone else could have a better life,” and, in a sense, “[their] The family is alive. ” This idea of paying life forward and creating something beautiful out of tragedy is certainly compelling. It may be something encouraging to hold on to during those first difficult days, months, or even years.
why do you hesitate
None of us want to think about a loved one dying, much less our own death. But we tend to think that giving the gift of life is more about life than death.
Still, it is inevitable that each of us will die at some point, so it is very important to make a very personal decision and share your wishes with your family. When we don’t talk about it or document our wishes, we are knowingly or unintentionally giving our family members the responsibility of making decisions on our behalf. Become. Our experience shows that families don’t want to be in that position.
We know this firsthand. Families of loved ones who have taken the time to choose to become a donor (or not) repeatedly tell us how relieved they are to no longer have to make this potentially exhausting decision. Making your own choices and documenting them will save your family the burden of making more emotional decisions all at once when they feel overwhelmed.
We often receive questions about whether donor families and transplant recipients ever meet. Transplant recipients often send thank-you cards or letters to the donor’s family. It is one small way of expressing gratitude for the great gift of life. And vice versa, donor families often enjoy sharing additional information about their loved ones with transplant recipients. It’s a way for them to make sure their loved one’s story is being told and continues to live on. If both parties wish to meet in person on a regular basis, FLDRN will assist in arranging this.
you are never too old
Indeed, the most frequent reason people tell us they haven’t registered as a donor is because they (incorrectly) believe they are too old or have a certain medical condition that precludes them from participating as a donor. . In fact, there is no age limit at all to become an organ donor. Additionally, each donor’s medical condition is carefully evaluated at the time of donation. Everyone is encouraged to register on the registry, regardless of age or medical history.
Rob Kochik is executive director of UR Medicine’s Finger Lakes Donor Recovery Network, which connects patients awaiting life-saving transplants, donors, and the families who make the gift of life possible. As a nonprofit organ donation program, FLDRN coordinates organ and tissue donation in the Finger Lakes, Central and Upstate regions of New York State and works closely with area hospitals to assist local residents in organ donor decision-making. We guarantee. The surviving family members are executed upon death.
