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.).

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.

With new technology and medical procedures, many lives that would have been lost ten years ago can now be saved by organ transplantation. Many of these people waiting are children, and few adult donors can donate to children. However, the number of organs donated hasn't been able to keep pace with the need - thousands of people die every year waiting for an organ donation.

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

There are a number of ways to become an organ and tissue donor.

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.

Transplants are now considered a mainstream medical treatment rather than an experimental, extraordinary miracle. Success rates are over 90% survival after one year. In Australia, kidney recipients, for example, have lived an extra 40 years or more thanks to being given their transplant.

Anyone can express a wish to become a donor by joining a donor registry, signing a donor card, or indicating intent to donate on a driver's license application. A family may decide to donate the organs of a deceased loved one who has not indicated a choice about donation or who is under age-a child, for example. A minor usually has to take additional steps to declare his or her decision to be a donor.

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.

Yes, normal cells of the tissues and organs that receive the radiation dose from the prostate seed implant are also injured. Some of the normal cells can repair the damage while others will die in a manner similar to that described above. Fortunately, however, one has many more normal cells than cancer cells in the area being treated, and it is by this mechanism that every last cancer cell can be destroyed while sparing enough normal cells for the normal body tissues and organs to recover.

Infants to the elderly can be considered potential tissue donor. The age and sex of a person will determine what tissues are eligible to be donated.

If the death has been referred to the coroner, the coroner must be asked to agree to the removal of the organ, since the removal could affect some important evidence. Decisions can usually be made quickly.

It varies depending on the organ, but in general, between 80 - 85% of recipients are doing great one year after transplant.

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.

Whole body donation is when you give your body to medical education or science for teaching purposes. Organ and tissue donation is when you give your organs and or tissues to be transplanted into someone that needs them. Unfortunately, the removal of internal organs and tissues (i.e. excluding cornea & sclera from the eyes) prior to embalming, makes your body unsuitable for our educational needs.