Seven Transplantation Myths

by Steve Sainsbury, MD

Many years ago, I submitted a 55-Word Essay to a contest in the New Times, here on the central coast. Titled The Transplant, it won honorable mention, and was published in The World's Shortest Stories of Love and Death. It is short enough to repeat here.

Lying on the gurney, I felt the IV medications take effect.
"You came alone, right?"
"Yeah, Doc, just like you said. I get $10,000 for a single kidney??"
"That's right, son."
Slipping into unconsciousness, I asked with slurred speech, "Then. . . why. . . all. . . the. . . secrecy?"
"Because I get twice that for a heart."

Which brings me to this month's topic: Transplant myths.

Myth #1:We've all heard the story about the guy who went to a party, got drunk, and woke up without either kidney—both had been stolen for the black market.

First of all, it is illegal to buy or sell organs in the United States.

Furthermore, there is no documented case of anyone having their organs "stolen" from them. Piracy is nearly impossible anyway, due to the complexity of matching of suitable organs, transportation, and other support features necessary to perform an effective transplant. 

Myth #2:If I am a donor, doctors will not work as hard to save my life.

As an emergency physician, I never knew what a patient's donor status was as I cared for them. Never. Organ procurement organizations were contacted after death, and never played a role in the care given to patients while alive. Let me repeat the word:  Never!

Myth #3:Neither my family nor I can afford to pay for organ donation.

This is an easy myth to dispel. The donation of all organs is free. As in—no cost to the donor or their family. Such a deal.

Myth #4: Donation is probably against my religion.

While I cannot pretend to speak for the over 2,000 organized religions, I do know that the vast majority of religions in the United States support organ donation, allowing the individual member to make that choice. Certainly mainstream religious groups such as Catholics, Jews, Christians, and Islams, all permit the donation of organs.

Myth #5: They take everything from you, even if you only want to donate your corneas.

You can specify which organs are to be donated. Your wishes will be followed exactly. If you want to keep that kidney with you in your grave (for what reason, I cannot fathom), go right ahead.  

Myth #6: I am too young (or too old) to allow organ donation.

There is no lower limit for donation. Newborns who pass away can have their organs donated. Generally speaking, those under 70 years old are considered candidates for organ donation.

Myth #7: I don't want the recipient to contact my family—it would only cause more pain for them.

The identity of the donor is kept confidential unless the family requests that it be released. Your secret is safe.

Let me encourage everyone to be an organ donor. You can arrange for this donor status to be prominent on your driver's license. And tell your family. You can donate a myriad of organs: heart, lungs, liver, kidneys, and corneas—just to name a few. You can directly save a life with a gift that will provide absolutely no benefit to you after you leave this earth—regardless of what your belief system may be.

Mountain Gorilla image on banner by Steve Sainsbury. It will interest you to know that this particular one is Steve's favorite gorilla, a friend from one of his stays in Rwanda.