La Rasa 05/21/2003

Organ donation and its problems

Thousands of lives can be saved every year by applying the Golden Rule to the world of organ donation. It is time that each one of us begins to deal with others the way in which we want to be treated.

More than 6,000 people will die in the United States this year, due to the shortage of needed human organs for transplant operations.

There are several reasons for this shortage. One of them is that most people do not sign organ donor cards. In the United States, less than 20 percent of adults are registered to donate their organs. The rules for assigning organs to patients do not take into account the positive decision that donors have made. So when an organ becomes available, in more than 80 percent of the cases it will go to someone who needs it, but he or the members of his family are not donors. Those that do donate, when they need an organ, obtain less from the 20 percent of the organs, therefore those that do not donate their organs receive better treatment than those who do.

This is not just. And it is to a large extent the reason why there is such a shortage of organs. Why bother to donate if an organ can be obtained without donating, or your organs probably would be given to someone who would not perhaps donate his organs to you.

Of course we cannot nor should we force anybody to make that decision. People who do not donate obtain unjust access to the organs of the people who do.

We should reward the decision to be a donor. The best way to do this is assuring that organ donors have fair access to donated organs, when they need them.

This is now possible thanks to a new organization called LifeSharers, (People that share life). This is a non-profit voluntary network of organ donors. The most interesting aspect of this organization is that their members give preference to other members, as far as access to their organs. People outside this organization can only obtain organs donated by a member when no other member with similar needs requires them.

Therefore, the members of this institution use the Golden Rule to determine who obtains their organs. This helps to correct the injustice in how they are distributed.

In addition, it offers another benefit that is still more important: applying the Golden Rule stimulates the people who have not donated to become donors and to join LifeSharers. This stimulus is the secret to reducing the shortage of organs and to saving lives.

Those who do not become members limit themselves as far as equal access to those organs. As the source of organs grows, also does the stimulus to become a member. When there are a million members for example, whoever joins this organization will obtain equal access to a source of organs with two million kidneys, a million livers, a million hearts, two million lungs, two million corneas and much more. It is easy to see that a powerful stimulus like this one can reduce or end the shortage of organs.

There is nothing in the federal law or the laws of the states that prohibits this type of stimulus. On the contrary, the right of the individual to direct the donation of his organs is recognized and is respected.

Affiliation to the association of LifeSharers is free. Whoever wishes can become a member at http://www.lifesharers.com. They can in addition call: David J. Undis, Executive Director, LifeSharers, 6509 Cornwall Drive, Nashville, TN 37205, telephone 615-356-3918.

If you believe in the Golden Rule and want to help to save lives or if you already are an organ donor and wish to be dealt with fairly, then you should become a member of LifeSharers. Who knows... the next life you save could be your own.