(Excerpts from the NFAF document "NTAF Facts about Tissue and Organ Donation". Used with permission.)

This page was developed to provide answers to some of the more common questions regarding tissue and organ donation.

3/9/00

National Transplant Assistance Fund

A private, non-profit, 501 (c)3 charitable organization established in 1983 dedicated to education and assistance for people involved with organ, tissue and bone marrow transplantation.

NTAF provides the following programs:

Patient Service Program Offers ongoing guidance and consultation as to cost and location of transplant centers, provides fund-raising expertise, assistance with media exposure, provides assistance grants to eligible candidates, and acts as a link to potential sources of support

Referral Resource Program Manages an active referral network, maintains an info-based Website, provides ongoing educational presentations, and serves as a financial resource for the transplant family.

Public Education Program Provides organ donor awareness materials, donor cards, brochures, statistics, newsletters, videos, and other resource information.

National Transplant Assistance Fund
6 Bryn Mawr Avenue
P.O. Box 258
Bryn Mawr, PA 19010
(610) 527-5056
(800) 642-8399
Fax: (610)527-5210
E-naail:NTAF@transplantfund.org
Website:www.transplantfund.org

If you are interested in helping a specific patient or in promoting organ/tissue donation, please contribute to NTAE Your tax-deductible contributions are vital to the transplant community and may even save a life!

Transplantation Depends on Donation

Patients facing transplantation must depend on the generosity of others in order to survive. Every 18 minutes a new patient is added to the organ transplant list and every day 10 patients die while waiting. With over 68,000 children and adults awaiting transplants, the shortage is critical.

The heart, kidneys, pancreas, lungs, liver, bone marrow, intestine, corneas, blood and skin may all be donated. One organ and tissue donor can help save 8 lives and/or improve the quality of life for many more. You and your family and friends can share the miracle.

How To Become an Organ/Tissue Donor

• Share your desire with your family. This is the most important step you can take to become an organ-tissue donor, because your family's consent will be necessary should the opportunity for donation occur.
• You should sign and carry an organ donor card in your wallet. Encourage others to do the same. Call NTAF at 1-800-642-8399 for an organ donor card.
• You should indicate your intention on your driver's license in participating states.
• You may also include your intention in your living will.
• You may inform the person representing you as medical power attorney.

Matching Organ Donors and Recipients

All organ transplant candidates are registered with the United Network for Organ Sharing (UNOS). UNOS maintains a centralized computer network linking all organ procurement organizations and transplant centers. This network is accessible 24hours-a day, 7days a week, with organ placement specialists always available. When a donor organ becomes available, the computer identifies each possible recipient in the computer database according to UNOS criteria.

Points to Know About Organ and Tissue Donation

• Acceptable organ donors range in age from newborn to 75+years of age. No upper age limit exists for donation of tissues such as corneas and bone.
• Permission from the next of kin is always sought prior to donation of organs and tissues even with a signed donor card.
• Potential cadaveric donors must be declared brain dead by a team of physicians not in any way associated with the transplant team. Recovery of the organs is done in a sterile, surgical procedure.
• There is no disfigurement of the body after cadaveric organ or tissue donation nor any effect on funeral arrangements designating an open casket.
• No costs related to organ donation are passed on to the donor family.
• All major religions in the U.S. consider organ and tissue donation acceptable and desirable.
• Studies show the majority of donor families find consolation in the decision to donate.
• Follow-up information on organ recipients may be given to the donor family; however, donor identification will remain confidential unless specified otherwise by the donor's family.

U.S.Transplants by Organ Type Performed 1993-1998

	1993	1994	1995	1996	1997	1998
Lung	666	722	871	805	927	849
Pancreas	774	842	1,025	1,024	1.062	1,218
Heart	2,297	2,341	2,361	2,343	2,294	2,340
Liver	3,440	3,652	3,925	4,066	4,170	4,450
Kidney	11,021	11,392	11,949	12,176	12,410	12,955
Heart/Lung	60	70	69	39	61	45
Intestine	34	23	45	45	67	69
Totals	18,292	19,042	20,245	20,498	20,991	21,926

What Happens If You Are a Match?

• You will be contacted by the donor center.
• At this point, the donor center coordinator arranges further testing, as well as a complete physical examination.
• You will also receive counseling about the marrow donation process and your volunteer options.
• If you decide to proceed with your bone marrow donation, you will be admitted to the hospital and a small amount of your marrow will be removed.
• This is performed under anesthesia and recovery is quick.
• After an overnight stay, you will be discharged to resume your normal activities. You may experience some soreness for several days, however, your bone marrow replenishes itself within a few weeks.

Financing Transplantation

The process of transplantation can be an overwhelming experience for patients and families - emotionally, physically and financially. In the course of this experience, they will rely on resources such as National Transplant Assistance Fund to guide them through this difficult journey.

Few patients are able to pay all of the costs of transplantation by relying on insurance, government assistance and savings. Fund raising by family members and friends is a good solution to offset the lifelong financial challenges of transplantation.

NTAF suggests that patients seeking transplants begin fund raising as early as possible in the transplantation process. Volunteers are the backbone of these fund-raising missions. Donating to a patient's fund, helping at a fund-raising event, or coordinating volunteer services are all very important contributions to a patient and family in need. Contact your local campaign or call NTAF to get involved in a campaign in your area.

NTAF assists a family in establishing a restricted fund, allowing contributions to this transplant fund to be tax- deductible to the extent the law allows. Acting as a trustee for locally raised funds, NTAF assures fiscal accountability and appropriate distribution of those funds for medically-associated expenses.

Contributions collected in honor of a patient are available throughout the patient's life or as long as there is money in that fund to cover the patients transplant related expenses. Expenses may also include the costs of the living donor's medical expenses.