How do I become a donor?

Request that a heart be placed on your license at the DMV.

OR

Register online with the Donate Life North Carolina donor registry.

If you register via the DMV, a red heart will be placed on your driver's license or ID card. This symbol means that you are giving legal consent for the donation of your organs and corneas/eyes after you die. It does not include tissue donation, nor does it include whole body donation.

If you register online at www.donatelifenc.org, you can be more specific about your donation wishes. For example, you can choose which organs or tissues you want to donate - and exclude those you do not want to donate. You can also register your decision about the disposition of your organs/tissues/eyes in case they cannot be used for transplant.

If you have a heart on your driver's license and you also register as a donor online, your online record supercedes your DMV record because it is the more specific donation document.

Through the North Carolina Heart Prevails Law (Session Law 2007-538), if you have registered your decision to be a donor your wishes cannot be overturned by others. It relieves the family of making this decision on your behalf, so please be sure to tell them when you join the registry.

What does the red heart on my license mean?

Donors leave an incredible legacy – there are many, many North Carolinians who are alive today because someone like you said “yes” at a North Carolina DMV office. We want everyone to understand what that “yes” means. · When you say “Yes” to donation at the DMV, a red heart is added to your license. This heart is legally binding consent to be an organ and eye donor. · Deciding to be an organ and eye donor at the DMV means that you have chosen to make all of your organs available for transplant at the time of your death. It does NOT mean that you agree to whole body donation. · If an organ cannot be used for transplantation or therapy then it may be used for medical research and education, unless you specify otherwise. The donor’s body is then available for whatever funeral and burial arrangements the family wishes to make, including an open casket funeral if they so desire. · You can create a separate, online registration that will allow you to specify your donation options through this website. This registry allows you to decide which organs and tissues you want to donate - and which ones you do not wish to donate. You can also decide what you want to happen if the organs, tissues & eyes cannot be used for transplant. Since an online registration is more specific it will supersede a person’s DMV registration. · We encourage all individuals to tell their families about their decision to give life through donation. If you register online, you’ll be invited to email your family and friends directly from the website. If you visit the DMV, we hope you’ll take the rack cards we provide in these offices and use them as a reminder to have this important conversation. Transplantation is one of the most remarkable success stories in the history of medicine. But despite continuing advances in medicine and technology, the need for organs and tissue is vastly greater than the number available for transplantation. Over 3,000 people in North Carolina are on the waiting list for an organ transplant. Transplantation gives hope to thousands of people with organ failure and provides many others with active and renewed lives.

What organs and tissues can be donated and how are they used?

Organs that can be donated include the heart, lungs, liver, pancreas, kidneys, and small intestines. Organs are used to save lives by replacing diseased organs with healthy ones. Tissues that can be donated include skin, bone, corneas, heart valves, and veins. Corneas are transplanted to give sight and heart valves are used in valve replacement surgery, common in children. Skin grafts are used for burn victims. Bone, tendons and ligaments can be used in reconstructive surgeries.

The recovery process is only initiated with the hopes that transplantation will be possible, if it is determined that an particular organ or tissue is not suitable for transplant than it may be used for medical research and education, unless you have specified otherwise. The online registration allows you to specify whether organs and tissues may be used for which organs and/or tissues you wish to donate or to determine if they should be appropriately discarded.

How do I donate my whole body for medical study/research?

If an individual wishes to make a gift of their whole body to a body donation program in North Carolina, they should make advance arrangements with a specific medical school program. A list of programs and information on school-specific procedures and forms can be found on the Commission on Anatomy’s website: http://www.commissiononanatomy.ncdhhs.gov/donate.htm

What if I change my mind - how can I change my donor record?

If your donor registration (red heart) is on your NC driver's license, you can create an online donor record that will supersede your DMV donor record. Go to https://www.donatelifenc.org/login/dmv.php and log in by entering your driver's license number and birthdate. After you log in, scroll to the very bottom of the page (under the "Terms" section). You will see a box that you can check that says "Remove me from the donor registry". Click that box to remove your name from the online donor registry. Because this online donor record is more detailed, it supersedes your DMV donor record.

However, because we have read-only access to DMV data, it will not change the donor designation on your driver's license. The next time you renew your driver's license, please tell the examiner that you would like the donor designation removed from your license, so your online donor record and your DMV donor record will match. In the meantime, your online donor record is the one that will be followed since it is the most detailed record.

If you registered via our website (www.donatelifenc.org) just click on the right hand box that says "Register Today" and then click on "Update My Profile". Enter your Registration ID, date of birth and passcode. You should have gotten the Registration ID when you first registered, but if you don't have it, there is a button on the page that you can click on to have it sent to you via e-mail. Once you enter those 3 fields correctly, you should be able to see your donor record and make any changes you'd like. If you wish to remove your donor designation, click on the green "Edit Donor" box. The top field (donor status) has a drop down menu where you can choose "removed". This will remove your donor record from the online registry.

In addition, one of the most important things you can do is make sure your family knows your wishes regarding donation. Whether you wish to be a donor - or not - is is important to share your decision with your family.

Is there any cost to my family if I am an organ/tissue donor?

No. All costs associated with donation are paid by the organ procurement organization. Your family is only responsible for hospital charges before the death declaration and for funeral expenses.

Will signing up on the donor registry affect the quality of medical care I receive?

Absolutely not. Medical care is always based on what is necessary to save a patient’s life. Patients can be considered for donation only after they are declared dead.

Is it true that only rich people get transplants?

No. Factors such as race, gender, age, income, or celebrity status are never considered when determining who receives an organ. The organ allocation and distribution system is based on many factors including blood type, length of time on waiting list, geographical location, severity of illness and other medical criteria. There is NO way to buy a place on the waiting list.

Are there any racial barriers to donation and matching organs?

No. Race is not a barrier, nor is it a criterion for organ placement. A computer database matches organ donors with potential recipients according to medical suitability. However, patients waiting for kidney transplants are more likely to have an antigen match with a donor of the same race.

If I am in good health can I sell my organs for money?

No! It is against the law to buy or sell organs in the United States.

Can I be a donor if I have or have had cancer?

People who have or have had some forms of cancer can be eye donors. They could be an organ and tissue donor if they have been cancer-free for at least five years.

Can my organs be used if I die at home?

Unfortunately, no. Organs must have a continuous blood and oxygen supply to be suitable for transplantation. Only individuals who have been determined brain dead, usually in a hospital intensive care unit, have the potential to be organ donors. However, tissue donation can occur when someone dies at home.

What does “brain death” mean?

Brain death is the irreversible and complete cessation of all brain and brain stem function. It means there is no blood flow through the brain or brain stem and the patient has stopped responding to outside stimuli. It is considered death and allows a death certificate to be signed. Brain death is not the same as being in a coma, since coma patients still have brain function and respond to stimuli.

If I am a donor, will there be a delay in funeral services?

In most cases, no. Usually, the procedure can be completed and the body released to the funeral home the next day.

Can I still have an open casket funeral?

Yes. Organ and tissue recoveries are conducted in the operating room under the direction of qualified surgical personnel. An incision is made, closed, and dressed; therefore, the body’s appearance is not changed by the donation process. Also, the identity of the donor family is kept confidential so no one will know that donation took place.

Can I still be an organ donor and also donate my body to science?

If you are an organ or tissue donor, a medical school will not accept your remains for teaching purposes. However, if you are an eye donor, you may donate your body to a medical school. Some research institutions will accept your body for research after organ and tissue donation.

If you wish to make a gift of your whole body to a body donation program in North Carolina, you should make advance arrangements with a specific medical school program. A list of programs and information on school-specific procedures and forms can be found on the Commission on Anatomy’s website www.commissiononanatomy.ncdhhs.gov/donate.htm.

How many people are waiting for organs in our country?

Right now, more than 100,000 Americans are waiting for life-saving organ transplants. For the most current waiting list number, visit www.unos.org.

How many people are waiting for transplants in NC?

Nearly 3,000 North Carolinians need life-saving organ transplants.

How many people can be helped by tissue donation?

More than 50 people can be helped through one tissue donor.

How many lives can be saved by one organ donor?

One organ donor can save the lives of up to eight people.

How can I donate bone marrow?

While Donate Life North Carolina is not directly involved with bone marrow donation, we encourage you to visit the National Marrow Donor Program website at www.marrow.org to learn more about this life-saving process, including answers to frequently asked questions, myths, how to register and more. If you can't find what you're seeking online, you may want to contact one of the NC marrow donor offices including: Charlotte - 704-921-3570 Raleigh - 919-414-8312

When was the first human heart transplant?

In 1967, a South African heart surgeon named Christiaan Barnard performed the first human heart transplant.

When was the first successful living donor transplant done?

In 1954, a kidney was transplanted from a healthy 23-year-old identical twin to his brother, who had chronic kidney failure.