Informative Speech

INTRODUCTION
I. Attention Getter - Do you know what happens to your body after you die? Besides being buried, burned? Not in a religious sense but a physical sense? What if I told you, that you have the power and the gift of life in your hands?
II. Topic Statement - Today I am going to provide you with the information that will allow you to make an informed decision on becoming an organ donor.
III. Importance Statement - You will be able to utilize the information I give you today to save lives, once you pass to the next life. Can you imagine? You could save someone’s mother, sister, father, brother.
IV. Preview of Main Points - Today, I am going to provide you with information on:
a. What does it mean to become an organ donor?
b. Who can become organ donor?
c. Myths about becoming an organ donor
d. How you can become an organ donor

BODY OF SPEECH
I. What does it mean to become an organ donor?
a. If you decide to become an organ donor you consent to have your organs and tissues made available for transplantation upon death.
b. Organs for life-saving transplants include the heart, liver, kidneys, lungs, pancreas and small intestine
c. Examples of tissues that could save or enhance someone’s life include eyes and corneas, heart valves, bones and skin grafts.
d. According to the US Department of Health & Human Services “organdonor.gov” (2012)
 113,620 people are waiting for an organ
 18 people will die each day waiting for an organ
 1 organ donor can save up to 8 lives and enhance over 50 lives

This means that there is a great demand for organs and many will die due to the lack of life-saving donor who are willing to give someone a second chance at life.
II. Who can become an organ donor?
a. Anyone can become an organ regardless of age or health condition. There are a few exclusions, such as HIV infection, active cancer.
b. No one is too old or too young. Both newborns and senior citizens have been organ donors.
c. According to the Organ Procurement and Transportation Network (OPTN), upon your death the hospital will contact OPTN so they can determine if you are a registered donor and to start matching donors with recipients who are on the waiting list.

This means that no one will be harvesting or trying to kill you for your organs. The process is heavily regulated by federal and state legislation to ensure safe and equitable distribution.

d. Although organs are not matched according to race/ethnicity, and people of different races frequently match one another, all individuals waiting for an organ transplant will have a better chance of receiving one if there are large numbers of donors from their racial/ethnic background.
III.Myths about becoming an organ donor
a. My family will be paid for my donation?
b. If I put my name on the donor registry and I suffer an accident, the physicians are less likely to treat me so my organs can be transplanted?
c. Movie stars and rich people get moved up to the front of the waiting list when they need an organ?
d. I am too sick to be an organ donor?
IV. How you can become an organ donor?
a. If you make the commitment and decide to be an organ and tissue donor you can:
1. Sign up as an organ and tissue donor on the Donate Life California Organ & Tissue Donor Registry website or organdonor.gov
2. Designate your decision on your driver’s license
3. Tell your family about your donation decision
b. Hand out of websites at the end of speech

CONCLUSION OF SPEECH
I. Review Main Points – So today, I provided you with information on:
a. What does it mean to become an organ donor?
b. Who can become organ donor
c. Myths about becoming an organ donor
d. How you can become an organ donor

II. Strong Concluding Statement: So remember that you have the power to give the gift of life and ask yourself - Who will I save if I decided to became a donor?

Works Cited

1. Visual Aids – Power Point presentation California Donor Registry
2. US Department of Health & Human Services “organdonor.gov” (2012)
3. Organ Procurement & Transportation Network (OPTN) (2012)

Cited: 1. Visual Aids – Power Point presentation California Donor Registry 2. US Department of Health & Human Services “organdonor.gov” (2012) 3. Organ Procurement & Transportation Network (OPTN) (2012)