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Guarantee your intent to become an organ donor
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Most
people with the foresight to check the “Y” box on their driver’s
license probably believe that this action equates to a guarantee that
your organs will be made available for life-saving donations after you
die. Not necessarily so.
Because of objections raised by survivors, an individual’s prior intent
to donate their organs must also be expressed in more ways that through
driver’s license registration. These methods could include stating your
wishes in a legal document, such as an advance directive; or now
through a registry now available to South Carolinians.
On Jan. 14, the S.C. Organ and Tissue Donor Registry was established.
Information from the Department of Motor Vehicles (DMV) will not
automatically be transferred to this registry. Therefore, everyone who
desires to be an organ donor must register a legal consent to be a
donor at the DMV or through the new confidential and secure donor
registry online at http://www.Every11Minutes.org.
The Web address relates to a fact that every 11 minutes, another person
in this country is added to the transplant waiting list; but many will
die while waiting to receive an organ transplant. Register online at http://www.Every11Minutes.org/ or by obtaining, renewing or changing your S.C. driver’s license/identification at any DMV office.
By putting your name on the South Carolina Donor Registry, you agree to
donate your organs and tissues, to be recovered after your death, for
use in transplantation, research and/or education. After your death, an
examination and tests will be performed to determine the best medical
uses for your gift. The law protects your choice. Unless you change
your mind and remove your name from the registry, which you may also do
online, your wish to donate will be honored and no one else, including
your family, will be able to change your decision.
How does donation help save, enhance lives?
- Organs used for life-saving transplants include heart, liver, pancreas, kidneys, lungs, and small bowel.
- Tissues used to save or improve life include eyes/corneas, heart valves, bones, and skin grafts.
- Research
uses of organs and tissues can include studies on curing diabetes,
Alzheimer’s, Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) and other
life-altering or fatal diseases.
- Organs
and tissues that cannot be used for transplantation, research or
therapy can be used for educational purposes to advance scientific and
medical knowledge.
All
information submitted will be used only for official Registry business
and will be kept completely confidential. We will not share, sell or
otherwise compromise this information.
If you go through the DMV a new logo representing legal consent
will be placed on your license or identification card. It will be a
heart and “Y” surrounded by a circle symbols representing 11 ticks of a
clock.
Friday, Feb. 20, 2009
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