[The following article was written by Jody Lose, an Estate
Planning Case Manager at my law firm, Marshall, Parker and Weber.]
Most people already have some knowledge of organ donations. When you
apply for or renew your driver’s license or photo ID you are asked if you want
to become an organ donor.
Anyone can decide to be a donor. If you are under age 18,
however, you will need the signature of a parent or guardian to have the donor
designation placed on your driver’s license or photo ID. If you are over age
18, you can request the Organ Donor designation be placed on your driver’s
license or photo ID at the Photo Center at the time you have your photo taken.
You can also now apply online if you do not want to wait to
renew your driver’s license or photo ID by going to www.donatelifepa.org/registration.
This is an online database for Organ Donor Registrations, with a link through
the PennDot website as well. Separate donor cards are not mailed out. You can
call Gift of Life in Philadelphia toll-free at 1-877-DONORPA (366-6772) or you
can go online to www.donatelife-pa.org to
obtain more information.
For people who are interested in contributing to scientific
study or teaching to promote medical science, your entire body can be donated
to the Humanity Gifts Registry in Philadelphia. The Humanity Gifts Registry is
a non-profit agency in the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania that handles receipt
and distribution of entire bodies donated to medical and dental schools in the
state for teaching purposes. For more information or to pre-register as a
donor, you can contact the Registry at 1-215-922-4440 or go online to www.hgrpa.org .
We are often asked about placing donor information in a
person’s Last Will and Testament. This is not a good choice for designating
your wishes for organ, tissue and/or body donations because your Will may not
be reviewed until days or even weeks after you have passed away.
Organ, tissue and/or body donation directions can be placed
in your Health Care Power of Attorney. If you do this be sure to talk about it
with your family members and the person(s) designated as your health care
agent(s). You want them to be aware of your wishes for donation and any
designations or registrations you have done in advance.
With the advancement in technology for donations and the
types of donations that are available today, many of our clients prefer to
discuss their wishes with their health care agent(s) and family members and
have them make the ultimate decision for donation based on the circumstances at
the end of life.
People of all ages and medical histories should consider
themselves potential donors. Qualified medical personnel will review the
donors’ medical and social history to determine what organs, tissues, or body
parts may be able to be donated. The Humanity Gifts Registry will make a
determination at death for acceptance of remains. It is only under the
most unusual of circumstances that a donor’s body would be rejected.