Families who make the decision to extend the gift of life often find that donation helps them through their grieving process. Donation is something positive that can come from the death of a loved one. One person can save or enhance up to 60 lives through organ and tissue donation.

Organ (heart, lungs, kidneys, liver, and pancreas) donation can only be done on a donor who has been declared brain dead but whose other organs are kept functioning by sophisticated hospital machinery. Because brain death is not a common occurrence, viable organ donors are rare. Tissue donation (eyes, bone, skin, veins, heart valves, tendons, etc.) can occur even after the heart has ceased beating. Most deaths are potential tissue donors (depending on a medical, social history, etc.).

After a person has died, transplantable organs and tissue can be donated to help the lives of individuals in need.

If you would like more information about organ and tissue donation and transplantation, please call the New England Organ Bank at (800) 446-6362. You can also visit the website of the United Network for Organ Sharing at www.unos.org This site contains up-to-date statistical information, and links to government agencies and other transplant-related organizations.

The need for tissue and organ donors is very real. In the United States today, only a small portion of the need for certain human tissues is met. Approximately 69,000 people are currently on the waiting list for an organ transplant while only about 21,000 transplant procedures currently take place each year.

Most major religions or religious organizations either actively support organ and tissue donation or leave the decision up to the individual. Those in doubt about their religion's views should talk with their faith leaders. Click for more information about religious views on organ donation.

Organ Donation in most cases, a person may only be able to donate organs where they have been declared brain dead in an intensive care unit in hospital. Brain death is when blood circulation to the brain ceases, and the brain stops functioning and dies with no possibility of recovery. A series of tests carried out by two independent and appropriately qualified senior doctors establishes that brain death has occurred.

Religious leaders of most denominations throughout the world favor organ and tissue donation and consider it the greatest humanitarian act. Gift of Life works with the donor's family to be inclusive of the family's wishes regarding religious customs.

No. The power of a health care agent to make health care decisions on your behalf ends upon your death. Noting your wishes on your Health Care Proxy form allows you to clearly state your wishes about organ and tissue donation.

Your medical condition at the time of death will determine if you can be a tissue and/or organ donor. A person is declared dead when one of two things occurs: 1) Cardiac/Respiratory Arrest and/or 2) Brain death. If a person dies due to a cardiac/respiratory arrest, where the heart has stopped pumping blood to the organs in the body then this person can be a potential tissue and eye donor.

All major religions consider organ and tissue donation as a gift of life to another person. If you have any questions you should consult your spiritual advisor.

Hospitals are required by law to notify the local organ procurement organization (OPO) of the impending death of a patient. The OPO staff will determine if that patient can be a potential organ and/or tissue donor. If the patient is medically suitable, a trained transplant coordinator will visit the hospital to further evaluate the patient and offer the option for donation to the next of kin.

Religious groups including Protestant, Catholic and Jewish faiths support organ and tissue donation as a charitable gift of life consistent with the basic tenets of their faiths.

Many people are uncomfortable talking about death. Explain to your loved ones how your decision to donate is about life and will offer hope to others whose lives can be saved or enhanced through transplantation.

No. Donation is a gift of life or sight to others. As such, eye, organ and tissue donations are consistent with the beliefs and attitudes of major religions. For more information regarding religious views toward donation or to see you religions view please follow this link No. Eye tissue is procured within hours of death, so families may proceed as planned with funeral arrangements.

No. Everyone should consider themselves a potential organ or tissue donor, regardless of their age. It is the health of the individual, not the age, which is the deciding factor.

No. The organ and tissue recovery is carried out like any other surgical procedure and the donor is treated with utmost respect and dignity. Funeral arrangements need not to be changed and if the family so chooses, an open casket is still possible.

All major religions fully support donation, and consider it an act of charity and love. Faiths that do not support organ and/or tissue donation are Shinto and Gypsy. Find your religion.

The illustrator of the books, Debbie Rittenhouse, a pastor's wife, mother of four and good friend of mine, has had corneal transplants in both eyes. Without them she would be blind. We urge people who would like to be organ donors to tell their family members, because just signing a donor card is not enough.

Yes. Funeral arrangements can proceed as normal. Viewing and open casket funerals may proceed as planned.