Frequently asked questions

The need is great. More than 104,000 individuals nationwide are waiting for organs. In Hawaii, more than 300 seriously ill people of all ethnic groups are waiting for a heart, liver, kidney, or pancreas transplant. Hundreds of others need cornea or bone transplants so they can live healthier lives. Sadly, there are not enough donations to meet the need. Nationwide, approximately 18 people die every day while on the organ transplant waitlist.

Organ donors range in age from newborn to seniors. Most organ donors are victims of fatal head injuries. Causes include automobile accidents, drowning, smoke inhalation, gunshot wounds, and brain bleeds from a stroke or sudden trauma to the head. Most organ donors are individuals who have been declared “brain dead” by a physician.

Tissue donors can range in age from 5 yrs to seniors. The key difference between organ and tissue donors is that the donor’s heart is no longer beating during any portion of the recovery. Simply put, all the donor’s bodily functions have ceased due to “cardiac death.”

There are three ways one can become a registered organ and tissue donor: 1. Registerme.org (http://Registerme.org)– Donate Life America’s online registration 2. When applying for or renewing a driver’s license or Hawaii State ID 3. MyChart on EPIC

In Hawaii, you may donate your heart, pancreas, liver, lungs, and kidneys for life-saving organ transplants. You can also donate tissue, such as corneas, bone, tendons, and skin, for life-enhancing surgical procedures that replace damaged or diseased tissues. An example of such a procedure is a corneal transplant to restore vision.

Personal information in the donor registry is only accessible to designated donation professionals. The information in the donor registry cannot be shared with or sold to companies or government agencies. Should you die in a manner suitable for donation, your closest next of kin will be informed of your donation decision and about the donation process to follow.

Federal regulations require all hospital deaths to be reported to the local organ procurement organization. This allows the Legacy of Life Hawai‘i Donor Registry to be checked each time a death is referred. No donor card is necessary. We recommend that everyone who registers as a donor discuss their decision with their family.

Once you sign up with the Legacy of Life Hawaii registry, your donor designation grants authorization for organ and tissue recovery. Should you be in the position to donate, your next of kin will be informed of your registration, but will not have the power to override your decision. It is important to let your next of kin know your wishes so that they may be prepared to provide the health care team with information about your medical history.

Absolutely not! Everything medically possible will be done to save your life before donation is even considered.

Your physician will use the term “brain dead.” Brain death is the legal definition of death. “Brain dead” means that, as a result of a sudden accident or severe injury to the brain, the body’s blood supply to the brain is blocked, and the brain dies. This causes all organs to stop working within a few days. This condition cannot be changed. Brain death is permanent and irreversible. There is no chance of recovery from brain death.

A physician will conduct the required medical tests to make a diagnosis of brain death. These tests are based on sound and accepted medical guidelines. These tests confirm that there are no brain reflexes, no blood flow to the brain, and no brain activity. These tests also confirm that the patient is unable to breathe on their own. In most cases, these tests are performed twice to ensure accurate results.

Once the diagnosis of brain death is made, you are pronounced legally dead. This is the time that will appear on your death certificate. If you are a candidate for organ and/or tissue donation, a health care professional will inform your family of your registry status. Your family may be asked to provide information regarding your medical history. Please know that we are sensitive to your family’s overwhelming feelings of sadness, shock, and grief at the time of loss. As such, we take great care to treat your family with compassion and respect.

No. Donation is considered a gift. Neither your family nor the hospital is responsible for donation expenses. All costs are absorbed by Legacy of Life Hawai’i. Also, your family will not receive any payment. Your family is responsible for the costs of medical treatment prior to your death and for funeral expenses, just as they would be if donation did not take place.

Organ, eye, and bone donation is a careful surgical procedure that should not change the physical appearance of the body. Donation should not interfere with funeral plans, including an open casket service.

After surgery, your body will be prepared and the funeral home contacted, as with any person who dies in the hospital.

Recipients are chosen based on how sick they are, how long they have been waiting, and how well they match with the donor organ with regard to tissue type, size, and blood type. The recipient's social or financial position is not a factor in determining who receives a transplant.

Organ donation is an anonymous gift. Names are not exchanged between the recipient and your family. However, general information will be shared with your family, including the recipient's sex and age, and the individual's current condition.

Yes. All major religions support donation and view donation as an act of human kindness in keeping with their religious teachings. People are often unaware of their faith's attitudes towards donation. The best advice is to discuss your concerns and questions about organ and tissue donation with your clergy or spiritual advisor.