End-Of-Life Care Partnership

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Organ Donation

It is important to respect the wishes of the person who has died. One decision you must make is whether to donate your loved ones' organs. Did your loved one ever talk about giving her eyes, organs, or tissues to another person? Did your loved one put her wishes in writing on a donor card, or on her driver's license?

Your choice about whether to donate is a very personal decision. Donation can help up to 50 other people. It can make the lives of burn victims and blind people much, much better. It can save other people's lives.

Here are some things you may want to know about organ, eye, and tissue donation.

Organs, eyes, and tissues are donated only after doctors have tried everything they can do to save the patient's life, but the patient has died anyway.
The doctors and nurses who worked to save your loved one's life are not the doctors and nurses who will recover the organs and tissues.
Donation will not change how the body looks. You can still have an open casket funeral, if you want.
Donating organs will not cost you anything.
Most major religions approve of organ and tissue donation. Most major religions think it is a gift, an act of charity.

If you decide to donate your loved one's eyes, tissue, and organs, you need to donate them soon after death. If your loved one died at the hospital, tell the nurses what you want to do before you leave the hospital. If your loved one died at home, tell your health care provider, or contact Intermountain Donor Services at 1-800-833-6667 (24 hours), or on the web at www.idslife.org.

You can register as a donor at www.yesutah.org

Text provided by:
Caring Connections
A Hope and Comfort in Grief Program
University of Utah Health Sciences Center Caring Connections is sponsored in part by the Ben B. and Iris M. Margolis Foundation.

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