Since such a large number of people don’t sign organ donation cards or place themselves on a registry, healthcare personnel find themselves in the position of having to ask shocked and grieving families about their wishes.
This is a difficult task for people who aren’t trained or well-prepared for the role.
According to a press release issued by the BMJ ,
A recent audit of 341 deaths in intensive care units in the UK revealed that 41% of relatives of potential donors denied consent. In an interview study a third of relatives who had refused donation said that they would not refuse …read more

When I decided to write a series on organ donation and organ transplants, I put out a call for people to contact me. I was overwhelmed by the number of responses I received and the stories that many of the people had to tell.
One woman, Susan May, wrote and offered to share her story about her son Nick, and the heart transplant he received when he was a baby.
Here is her story:
Nick was born with a three chambered heart. He had his first surgery at five days old, another at three and a half months, another at one year old …read more

I’d like you to meet Alexis and the legacy she left behind when she left this world at the age of 16 years old. She’ll never be forgotten because of her gift of life to others, and the hard work her family does in order to provide help to the Louisiana Organ Procurement Agency (LOPA).
This was sent to me by Mandy Porta, who is married to Alexis’ brother:

A Child Lost Motivates a Family to Promote Organ Donor Awareness
It’s that time of year again when the Porta family is busily working to promote the gift of life in memory of Alexis …read more

With the tragic news of a young 45-year-old woman dying of head trauma makes me think, once again, about organ transplantation. Actress Natasha Richardson, that woman, is famous for her acting career, but in her tragedy, she could do a lot and be famous for helping and saving many lives if she is an organ donor.
I haven’t read any news about if she is an organ donor – and quite honestly – I don’t know if I’d believe anything after the disgraceful way several websites behaved regarding “she’s dead, no she’s not, oops, may be she is…”
Who can be helped?
Donating …read more

It’s hard for some people to understand how you can develop a deep friendship with someone you’ve never met. With today’s technology, communicating by computer and by phone, it is quite easy to do that.
Through my love of greyhounds and my participation on the GreyTalk forum, I got to know Tricia Olson-Giles, of West Tennessee. We began chatting more when my greyhound Oscar passed away and we exchanged several messages when she found out that we both were interested in palliative care. I encouraged her to write and talk about her work as a hospice volunteer coordinator – a job …read more