Lesson #5: Organ and Tissue Donation and Transplantation:

Lesson #5: Organ and Tissue Donation and Transplantation:The Gift of Life

1Gifts What is the best gift you have ever gotten?

What is the best gift you have ever given?

Now imagine a gift you would like to give someone. What is the gift? Who would you give it to? Why?Ask the students to think about the best gift they have ever received. What was so special about the gift? Was it who gave them the gift or something about the gift itself? Now ask the students the best gift they have ever given to someone else. What was the gift? What made it special? Who did they give it to?

After you have discussed gifts they have actually given and received, ask the students to name the best gift they could imagine giving someone else. What would the gift be? Why did they choose this gift? What makes this gift so special?

Discuss the feelings involved with getting and giving gifts. How does it make us feel when someone gives us a gift? How do we feel when we are able to give someone something they need or want?

2Did you know there is a gift that can save lives????????

Explain to the students that the lesson is going to be discussing organ and tissue donation. 3It is..Organ and Tissue Donation

4What is Organ and Tissue Donation and Transplantation?To donate means to give away something that we dont need or something that we can get along without. People donate things to help other people.

To transplant something means to move something from one place to another.

Read through the definition of donate. Ask the students of things they may have donated in the past (e.g. toys, clothes, food, etc.)

Read through the definition of transplant.5An organ or tissue transplant is a special operation doctors do to move a donated organ or tissue from one persons body to another persons body.

Explain what an organ or tissue transplant is to the students. Ask the students if they know anyone who has received a transplanted organ or if they know an organ or tissue donor.

After the video is over, ask the students if they have any questions or comments about what they saw.6One organ and tissue donor can help improve the lives of over 50 people

7Why is Organ and Tissue Donation Important?The demand for organs and tissues is much greater than the available supply

Currently over 110,000 people in the United States are waiting for an organ transplant

A new name is added to the waiting list every 14 minutes

Average of 16 people die every day waiting Discuss that the demand for organs and tissues is much higher than the number of available organs and tissues. This means many people are waiting for donated organs. Go over the statistics on the slide to emphasize the need for donated organs.8Common Questions About Organ and Tissue Donation

What organs and tissues may be donated?What can be donated?What organs can be donated?HeartKidneysLiverLungsPancreasSmall Intestines

What else can be donated?BoneWhole Eye/CorneasBloodHeart Valves SkinCertain Veins

Live Organ Donation

Go over the organs and tissues that are able to be donated. Remind the students that these were the same organs and tissues discussed in lessons 1 & 2 and included in their ORGANizer.

Explain to the students that some organs can only be donated after death. Some can be donated while the person is still alive. Ask the students if they know anyone living who has donated a kidney? This is an example of a live organ donation.10Common Questions About Organ and Tissue DonationDo you have to be completely healthy to be an organ and tissue donor? Am I too old?

Eligibility for Organ DonationEven people in their 70s can donate organs and tissues. Age is not an excuse not to register.You do not have to be completely healthy to register as an organ and tissue donor.Please explain that age and not being completely healthy are two common reasons people give for not registering as an organ donor. As mentioned, even older people in their 70s can donate needed tissues for transplantation. Also, lifestyle factors alone like being overweight or smoking do not mean you cannot be an organ donor.12Common Questions About Organ and Tissue DonationCan organs be sold for money in the United States?

13Organ and Tissue DonationOrgans and tissues are generous gifts that registered organ and tissue donors choose to give to others to improve their lives. Organs are NOT bought or sold in the United States.Explain to students that organs and tissues are not bought or sold for money in the United States. Registered organ donors give a free, generous gift to others by donating their organs so that others lives are improved or even saved. 14Common Questions About Organ and Tissue Donation

Who decides which patients get donated organs and tissues?UNOSA national database keeps track of all people in the United States who need organ transplantsPeople who are sickest and have been waiting the longest are at the top of the listWhen donated organs are available, people at the top of the list are then matched to these organsThere is not special treatment for celebrities or people who make more money, the process is based on needExplain to students that a national computer system (UNOS = United Network of Organ Sharing) exists which places each person in the United States who needs an organ transplant on a waiting list. Position on the list is based on how sick the person is and how long they have been waiting for a transplant. A special doctor will examine the patient to determine how sick they are and use these criteria to put the person into the system (OPTN= Organ Procurement and Transplantation Network). If a patient gets better or worse while waiting on the list, their position on the list can change. This process is to insure that only the sickest and those who have been waiting the longest get the first chance at donated organs. Organs are not given to people based on social status, celebrity or the amount of money they make.

Optional: Donated organs and tissues are also matched on factors called antigens between the organ donor and the organ recipient to increase the chance the new organ will be accepted.16Common Questions About Organ and Tissue Donation

How does someone register as an organ donor?17Donate Life Kentucky: The Kentucky Donor RegistryWhere Kentuckians can sign up to be organ and tissue donorshttp://www.donatelifeky.org/ Way to let families know donation choiceFamily discussions are important so that ones personal choice about donation may be knownIn Kentucky, there must be parental consent if under age 18

Explain to students that the Kentucky Donor Registry is a place were people can sign up to be organ and tissue donors. The registry is a way for people to record their donation wishes. The link http://www.donatelifeky.org/ takes you to the registry.

Joining the registry is a great way for donors families to know they want to be an organ donor. Optional: Often, the deceased wishes are unknown and it is up to the family to make the donation decision. If the person was a member of the registry, the deceased wishes are known and more likely to be followed.

Family discussions about organ donation are important so that donors families know their wishes.

Optional:Discussions are a great way for family members to express their donation intentions. Once again, this communication of intentions, allows family members to know others wishes and increases the chance individual wishes will be followed.

18More Facts About Organ and Tissue DonationNearly of the patients waiting for transplants are minorities.There is a shortage of registered donors who are minorities.

Explain to students that of patients on the waiting list are minorities and there are many fewer registered organ donors among this group than among Caucasians. 19ReviewThere are many more people who need organ transplants than there are available organs.The gap is even greater among minorities.Which organs and tissues may be donated?Age does not limit one from registering as an organ and tissue donor.

Please review important points about organ and tissue donation.20Donated organs and tissues are gifts given to help others.A national computer matches donated organs to individuals who are the sickest and have been waiting the longest.There is a Kentucky Donor Registry which allows people to register their wishes about donation.Referenceswww.donatelifeky.orgwww.trustforlife.orgwww.kyorgandonor.org