DLM: April 3 - Question of the Day

Throughout the month of April, we will be answering all questions around organ donation & transplants. The goal is to spread knowledge & facts while inspiring others to have conversations and register as organ & tissue donors.

Question:

Answer:

1. Deceased Donor

A deceased donor is a person that makes the decision to save an individual in end-stage organ failure when they die. People most likely become donors after a trauma such as stroke, heart attack or severe head injury. As donatelife.net notes, "at the end of your life, you can give life to others.

2. Living Donor

A living donor is a relative, loved one, friend or even an anonymous stranger that can save an individual from end-stage organ failure. A living donor actually saves two lives - the recipient and the next person on the deceased donor waiting list. Most frequently used in kidney & liver transplants however, it is possible to transplant other living segmented organs.

There are 3 types of living donation:

a. Directed Donation - This is when the donor specifies the recipient. This is common with family members such as Ryan and his daughter, Allie (pictured above)

b. Non-directed Donation - The living donor does not specify the recipient. The match is arranged based on medical compatibility with a patient. Non-directed living donors are not required to meet their recipient however, in some cases, the donor and recipient both agree, they meet. The transplant center typically facilitates this.

c. Paired Donation - Paired Donation (almost exclusively for Kidney Transplants) involves two pairs of living kidney donors and transplant candidates who do no not have matching blood types. The two candidates “trade” donors so that each candidate receives a kidney from a donor with a compatible blood type.*

*unos.org

If there are any questions you have about donation, transplantation, Hudson, or our family, please do not hesitate to email or message me. We are using this month to be as transparent and open as possible so don't be shy about your questions! Who knows, someone might have the same question you do!

xoxo,

Jordan, Morgan, Hudson, Dude & Jax