Donating an organ is serious. It requires a plan and considerable thought. Organs can be “harvested†from young people whose lives are tragically ended by accidents and used so that others may live. To give organs like this you simply need to list yourself as a donor through the Department of Motor Vehicles (DMV) or inform your family of your wishes should such a fate befall you. In general, people are uncomfortable discussing such issues, but families of those whose organs have been harvested usually feel a sense of relief knowing their loved one is honored by having their organs help someone else in need. The wait for organs is up to a decade and thousands die each year while waiting for a transplant. Please consider discussing this with your family and make your wishes known.
A second type of donation is a living donor. Donors can give kidneys, lungs, or parts of livers. Dr Chuck Wright, a past member of the SBFMG family chose to do this and continues to live a full life as a State Department Physician in India. His donation was to an unrelated recipient, but many donors give their organs to members of their family. Both blood type and tissue type compatibility are important in doing this. The donor must be in good health and usually under sixty years old. Most hospitals that perform transplant are large medical centers such as UCLA, USC, and Cedars Sinai. However, your SBFMG physician will gladly assist you should you have further questions or be interested in becoming a live donor.