Rep. Kinkead discusses how organ donation can have a lifesaving impact.

Photo: Office of Rep. Kinkead

“First, may I say I am so sorry for your loss. I don’t know if my thanks can help your healing, but I want you to know my life was made better because of your compassion. . . . [W]ith the help of . . . your loved one’s gift of donated bone, I am able to walk again. When your life changes due to someone else’s precious gift, there are no words to express your gratitude. Please know I will always cherish and remember your loved one with gratitude.”

This is an excerpt of a letter that a constituent received because when she suddenly and tragically lost her husband, his status as a registered organ donor meant that his organs and tissue went on to help improve and save the lives of others. She said that her husband “would have been over the moon with happiness” to know he had helped so many in need.

Nationally, more than 100,000 people are waiting for an organ transplant, including—according to the Center for Organ Recovery & Education (CORE)—nearly 2,000 people right here in Pittsburgh. Someone is added to the transplant waiting list every 9 minutes. Each day, 17 people in the United States die while waiting for a transplant. One organ donor has the potential to save up to 8 lives, and with tissue and cornea donations, has the potential to improve the quality of life for more than 50 others.

April is National Donate Life Month (NDLM), a month where, for more than 20 years, hospitals across western Pennsylvania join CORE, the nonprofit organization that facilitates organ, tissue, and cornea donation in western Pennsylvania, West Virginia, and Chemung County, N.Y., to raise awareness about organ, tissue, and cornea donation, and to inspire everyone to register to be an organ donor.

As the daughter of a doctor (who used to be a Pittsburgh paramedic) and the sister of a nurse, being registered as an organ donor has been an obvious choice for every person in my family, but I realize that there are some myths about organ donation that I want to dispel.

Donors do not have to be young and in perfect health to donate. Despite the common misconception that you have to be young and healthy to donate, donors can be any age or health status. Very few medical conditions disqualify you from donating. While certain organs may not be viable for transplantation, other tissues or organs may be fine. Because of the incredible shortage of both vital organs to transplant, as well as tissue and cornea donations, there is very likely something that you can donate to help someone else.

Living donors are critical to saving lives. A living donor can donate a kidney or a portion of their liver directly to a friend or family member, or even a complete stranger, and continue to live a completely normal life with very few restrictions. People waiting for a kidney transplant make up more than 80% of people on the organ waiting list and people waiting for a liver make up about 11%. You could save one of their lives and still live yours to the fullest.

Most religions support organ donation. This includes Catholicism, Protestant Christianity, Islam, and most branches of Judaism. These religions typically view organ donation as a final act of love and generosity toward your fellow human. You can learn more about the many religions that support organ donation at OrganDonor.gov.

Organ donation can be rewarding and healing. As with my constituent and her husband, organ donation can help a family work through the grieving process and cope with their loss by knowing that their loved one is helping save and improve the lives of others.

Organ donation is free to the donor’s family. The organ donor’s family is never charged for donation, only for the cost of any care that was provided in an effort to save the donor’s life.

Doctors will do everything they can to save your life—organ donor or not. Perhaps the most insidious of rumors about organ donation, this rumor is just blatantly false. Doctors and hospitals have an ethical obligation, backed by the force of law, to do everything in their power to save your life. They do not even look at your organ donor status until there is nothing more that can be done to save you. Only at a point where you are declared dead (and myriad tests have been run to confirm that) would the conversation turn to organ donation.

CORE broke some records this year, with 700 recorded lifesaving organ transplants last year and 325 organ donors. Ten of those donors were over the age of 75, including Cecil F. Lockhart of Welch, W.Va., who in May 2021, at the age of 95, became the oldest organ donor in the nation. His liver recipient, a woman in her 60s, continues to thrive.

To register your decision to save and heal lives through organ, tissue, and cornea donation, please visit www.core.org/register. And, as always, if you have any questions or need help with any state-related matter, my staff and I are here to help. Just call 412-321-5523 or email RepKinkead@pahouse.net.