Organ failure can be caused by a wide range of issues, including; physical trauma, medical conditions and drug abuse among other things. Unfortunately, there are very few people who are willing to get involved in organ donation. In the United States, it is estimated that five new names are added to the national transplant list every hour. While the demand for organ donation may be high, the supply is limited. Currently there are over 123,000 people who are waiting for an organ donation, of which 21 die every day for lack of an organ transplant. This translates to around 6,500 deaths every year due to shortage of organ donations. This can be blamed on misinformation and myths. The following are some of the most popular myths as well as the truth about organ donation and transplant.
Myth 1: Physical defects, age and illness can prevent me from donating an organ.
Fact: Medical practitioners usually evaluate the general condition of organs and tissues to determine their viability. That said, individuals who have serious illnesses, like cancer, are encouraged to join the national donor registry.
Myth 2: Doctors will not work hard enough to save my life if they know my name is one the donor registry.
Fact: The man objective of any doctor is to save life, so you are their top priority. In fact, the issue of organ donation cannot be discussed before you have been pronounced dead. Organ donors should also take comfort in the fact that the doctors and nurses who will be treating them are not involved in recovery or transplanting of organs.
Myth 3: You can move to the top of the waiting list if you are rich or famous.
Fact: There is no truth in this statement. Doctors consider numerous factors when placing patients on the waiting list. They include; condition of the patient, blood type, time spent waiting and match potential. Money or fame have nothing to do with anything as far as organ donation is concerned.
Now that these myths have been busted, you may consider becoming an organ donor.
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