Muscatine

Over the years I have been an advocate of signing up as an organ/tissue donar.  I wrote and co-sponsored an anatomical gift act along with the Regional Organ Transplantion Organization in New Mexico.  In my capacity as the Legislative Liaison Chairman for the New Mexico Lions Eye bank and with the assistance of the ROTO we were able to develop a legislative bill that was passed by the State.  My son-in-law died from complications following a replacement of the aorta valve on his heart.  He was a donar and this is the result:

The gift of Bone can help many people.

Potential recipients of bone include children suffering from congenital deformities, patients with bone cancer, and victims of spinal injuries.  These recipients will experience freedom from pain, greater mobility and the opportunity to live more active lives.

One hundred and nineteen bone grafts have been created from Paul`s gift; these grafts will be used for reconstructive surgery, spinal fusions and oral surgery.  Bone grafts have been sent to hospitals in Washington, Oregon,  Minnesota, Idaho, Tennessee, and Pennsylvania.    Paul will have helped one hundred and nineteen people to have a second chance at life.  As you can see by the list below Paul`s gift of bone tissue has enhanced the lives of many, many individuals

Also, skin donation may be used in several ways.  For example skin can be used to aid in the healing process for severe burn patients or used in reconstruction for those suffering from disfiguring injury or disease process.

Paul`s gift of skin has been created into eights grafts  Two of these grafts have been sent to hospitals in Augusta, Georgia, and Tampa, Florida so far. 

Paul`s Corneas were given to two women and awhile back a man wrote me who got Paul`s tissue and bone transplanted in his neck in his back.  He said he was able to go back to work and shovel his snow for the first time in one year.  Since the transplant he says he is pain free.  So Paul has helped 124 people in all so far

This is a personal decision for many and I would hope that some of you will become organ/tissue donars if you are not already signed up as a donar.

Are there any diseases or illnesses that prevent someone's tissue being used, like some cancers, aids, or malaria maybe?   There some that prvent you donating blood I've been told.

If there are, how are they tested and weeded out?

You are correct in assuming that some tissue and organs are not suitable for use in any form of transplantation.  I am not familar with the actual screening processes used in organ transplants other than to say that any and all organs that are diseased are not used  and there are precise tests used to determine the health of an organ or tissue to be transplanted. 

 I am more familiar with corneal transplants since I have two myself.  The Lions Eye Bank tests tissue to be used and tries to match the recipient to the donar as far as age is concerned.  The sex of the donar is not a factor.  I have one cornea from a man and one from a woman.  If the cornea us not good, it can still be used for doctors to practice how to perform the operation.

I am a former member of the National Ambassadors for Corneal Transplants and attended  a meeting in Baltimore that included all kinds of tissue donation.  One individual had a leg about 4 inches shorter than the other and after a bone transplant, both legs were equl in length and she was able to walk normally.

There have been individuals who sold organs and tissue which is against the law and this is why there are strict measures in force to assure the donated organs are healthy and the tissue suitable for use.

LJ, my mom has also had corneal transplants in both eyes, she would be blind by now if  she hadn't received this gift.