Organ Donation

Cover Letter
1. The purpose of this essay was to support my claim that organ donation has a lot of positive results. My plan with this essay to get the reader to be more informed of the process and list some statistics associated with it. I hope that the reader, if they were not fully aware of the topic, to do more research for themselves.
2. From this assignment, I learned how to gather data to support my arguments. I already felt strongly about this subject before writing on it. Though, I learned more about the underground black markets associated with organ harvesting.
3. The only difficulties I had were trying to make everything flow in the body of my paragraphs. Also, how to incorporate the down side of the issue. The editing part wasn’t too hard for me.
4. I enjoyed writing on a topic that I fully support as an individual. I also enjoyed reading articles related to the topic on how a life was dramatically improved or saved. I in addition, learned to better support my claims.
5. I decided to write on this topic due to the fact that I am signed up to be an organ donor myself. I am not currently discussing this topic in another course. I was not fully aware of the topic until I fully researched it before deciding to become one.
6. There is not anything else I would like for you to know.

Should More Attention Be Given To Organ Donation?
When it comes to organ donation, it is a very touchy subject for a lot of people. The majority of them are hesitant about registering to become an organ donor because they are usually ill informed about the process. Besides helping to save or drastically improve someone’s life, you can also give some kind of comfort to their grieving families. There are so many organs and tissues that can be donated and one can also be a living person in order to do it. A sad statistic about the organ donation waiting list is that every 48 hours, someone dies while waiting for an organ and never receiving it (Newton). So one has to wonder if the general public was more aware of this issue; they would be more willing to sign up. Although there are some religious sects have some stipulations against organ donations, the majority actually condone it to be an act of charity.
Though the subject of organ donation is a very sensitive issue, there are many advantages to them being performed. The fact that it only takes one organ donor to save over eight lives is simply amazing and that the donor is able to give comfort to grieving families and improve someone’s way of life. Financial or celebrity status has no bearing on determining who is able to receive a transplant in the U.S. Also, the system for matching donors and recipients being regulated by the Federal Government should give people some ease about any wrong doing involving the sale of organs in the United States (Burande). An Ethics Committee was in fact put into place by organizations that specialize in the procurement of organs and every region and hospital has one. Hearts, lungs, livers, kidneys, pancreas, small intestines, and also the eyes could be donated and transplants have a highly successful transfer rate of up to 80 to 90 percent (Burande). A person can be a living person and still donate certain parts of organs and bone marrow (Burande). Children can even become organ donors with their parent’s consent and the family pays no bills associated with any kind of organ donation. The donor person’s medical history is more significant than a person’s age, so someone should never think that they are too old to eligible to donate (Organ Donation: Don’t let These Myths Confuse You). A person can even donate their entire body for the benefit of research and the use of medical education. A lot of families are concerned that if their deceased loved one donates, that they will not be able to have an open casket funeral and that is simply not true (Organ Donation: Don’t let These Myths Confuse You). The respect of the deceased and their families is one of the top priorities when it comes to organ donation. The process also involves many steps, with the first being a referral when a patient is about to pass away to confirm if they are or are not a registered donor. Then a medical evaluation is done to see if the organs are suitable. After a declaration of death is made by the doctor, the next of kin signs a consent form. After transplant coordinators confirm the death with a medical examiner or coroner to see whether it’s under jurisdiction, the transplant surgeon finalizes the recipient as a proper match. The work of the surgical removal team is also overseen by the transplant coordinator. Last, after it’s all said and done, letters are sent out to the donor’s family, relevant doctors and nurses informing them of the outcome of the donation that was done.
Just like any other medical procedure, there are some issues that do exist. Over 115,000 people are currently waiting for an organ in the U.S and every 48 hours, a person dies waiting to receive an organ and not getting one (Burande). Each year over a million people need organs to save or dramatically improve their life. There is also a black market that exists for some organs, especially kidneys, so naturally people are hesitant due to its unethical prospects (Adomaitis). This tends to happen more frequently in countries where the population is poor. Organs from living donors are transplanted from people that live in poverty into more prominent citizens that live elsewhere all due to the need for money. A new study was done out of Alberta, Canada that Canadians might be more willing to sign up to be registered donors if they were offered some kind of monetary compensation for their families (Verner). The families would be offered a tax break or help with funeral expenses and of course the process would be done legally and all safety precautions would be followed. The only problem that is foreseen from that is how to establish the cost of an organ when life itself is precious. When it comes to the subject of organ donation, there are many religious aspects concerning beliefs from various religions. Although, many religions actually encourage it because they consider it be an act of charity, but with stipulations when it comes to a person doing it. Jehovah’s Witnesses believe that if a person decides to donate, all organs and tissues must be drained of blood first (Adomaitis). The Amish approves it only if the recipient’s life will be definitely improved or saved (Adomaitis). Though, they are not opposed to it, Mennonites leave the decision to the individual or his/her family members. In closing, no matter how sensitive a person is when it comes to the subject of organ donation, it never hurts to fully research the topic. He or she might have to come upon making a decision one day concerning the matter and they should be fully informed of all the pros and cons. This concludes my essay on the issue of organ donation.
Annotated Bibliography

Burande, Abhay. Organ Donation Facts and Statistics. Dec 21, 2011, Retrieved from http://www.buzzle.com/articles/organ-donation-facts-and-statistics.html

There are many statistical data to support the pros of organ transplants. The process is overseen by a committee in the U.S. that ensures its strict adherence.

Adomaitis, Mary Beth. Cons of Organ Donating. Retrieved from http://dyinglovetoknow.com/ConsofOrganDonating

Besides the pros of organ donation there are many cons associated with this issue. Black markets for organs and taking advantage of the poor to help the rich are sometimes concerns for many.

Verner, Amy. Compensating Organ Donors Could Increase Donation Rates, Study Finds. The Globe Mail, Published Wednesday, Nov 07, 2012, Retrieved from http://www/the globeandmail.com/life/the-hot-button/compensating-organ-donors-could-increase-donations.html

Studies have shown that people in Canada are more inclined to sign donor cards if they were monetarily compensated. The only issue is that of how to put a value on human life.

Newton, Joshua. How Does The General Public View Posthumous Organ Donation? A Meta-Synthesis of the Qualitative Literature. BMC Public Health 2011, 11:791. Retrieved from http://www.biomedcentral.com/1471-2458/11/791

There are many individuals who are unwilling become organ donors posthumously, thus creating a disparity between the supply and demand for transplants. A meta-synthesis of literature was therefore conducted to determine the views of the general public concerning the issue.

Organ Donation: Don’t let These Myths Confuse You, The Mayo Clinic, Retrieved from http://www.mayoclinic.com/health/organ-donation/FL00077

Many people are ill-informed about the organ donation process. This article lists many myths that are associated with organ donation and the truths to clarify on those myths.

Bibliography: Burande, Abhay. Organ Donation Facts and Statistics. Dec 21, 2011, Retrieved from http://www.buzzle.com/articles/organ-donation-facts-and-statistics.html There are many statistical data to support the pros of organ transplants. The process is overseen by a committee in the U.S. that ensures its strict adherence. Adomaitis, Mary Beth. Cons of Organ Donating. Retrieved from http://dyinglovetoknow.com/ConsofOrganDonating Besides the pros of organ donation there are many cons associated with this issue. Black markets for organs and taking advantage of the poor to help the rich are sometimes concerns for many. Verner, Amy. Compensating Organ Donors Could Increase Donation Rates, Study Finds. The Globe Mail, Published Wednesday, Nov 07, 2012, Retrieved from http://www/the globeandmail.com/life/the-hot-button/compensating-organ-donors-could-increase-donations.html Studies have shown that people in Canada are more inclined to sign donor cards if they were monetarily compensated. The only issue is that of how to put a value on human life. Newton, Joshua. How Does The General Public View Posthumous Organ Donation? A Meta-Synthesis of the Qualitative Literature. BMC Public Health 2011, 11:791. Retrieved from http://www.biomedcentral.com/1471-2458/11/791 There are many individuals who are unwilling become organ donors posthumously, thus creating a disparity between the supply and demand for transplants. A meta-synthesis of literature was therefore conducted to determine the views of the general public concerning the issue. Organ Donation: Don’t let These Myths Confuse You, The Mayo Clinic, Retrieved from http://www.mayoclinic.com/health/organ-donation/FL00077 Many people are ill-informed about the organ donation process. This article lists many myths that are associated with organ donation and the truths to clarify on those myths.