[info_box] Q: Did you know that? Anyone at any age can become an organ and tissue donor. The oldest organ donor on record was over 90 years of age and the oldest corneal donor was 102 years old.
Only patients who have suffered brain death in hospital can become organ donors because vital organs must be maintained artificially by a ventilator so they can be transplanted. However, only those whose hearts have stopped and cannot, therefore, be artificially supported by a ventilator (the heart and lungs have stopped working), can become tissue donors. Most religions support organ donation as an act of kindness.
Organ donation does not preclude an open-casket funeral. When clothed, the body shows no outward sign of surgery.
Transplants can save health care costs: the cost of a kidney transplant averages $20,000 plus $6,000 per year thereafter ($50,000 over five years). Maintaining a kidney patient on dialysis costs $50,000 per year ($250,000 over five years). [/info_box] [ztop] [savelives_box]