Organ donation is perhaps not a major financial topic, but it's a major consideration that does have some financial aspects to it. Take a few minutes to learn a little more and give it some thought.
By donating organs and tissues, someone with a desperate need for a heart, cornea, or liver -- among many other things -- can have a dream come true. In many cases, it's literally a matter of life or death for those needing a transplant. There are long lists of critically ill people and not enough donated organs to go around. You could actually save several lives by leaving your organs behind.
Here are some things to know:
- Acceptable donors range in age from newborns to senior citizens.
- If you want to donate your organs, you'll need to indicate it on your driver's license, carry an organ donor card, and tell your family. Informing your family of your wishes is vital, because sometimes there can be confusion at the time of death. Don't let your grieving loved ones make the wrong decision or spend time fretting over what your wishes might be -- make them known.
- Donation doesn't disfigure a body. An open casket will still be a possibility.
- If you're an organ donor, doctors and hospitals shouldn't treat you any differently. Don't expect to receive less care.
- There is often an extra need for organs and tissues from minorities, since transplants often are more successful when made between members of the same ethnic or racial group.
- The donation of organs and tissues does not cost the donor anything.
A final option you might consider is donating your entire body to science, a decision that could contribute to medical progress. At the very least, a body can be used to train future doctors. It can also be used in research. And both healthy and sick bodies can be used. What's more, there are financial benefits -- by donating a body, there's usually no need to buy a casket or cemetery plot, or to pay for cremation. Some schools or institutions will cremate or bury the body for you after the research is concluded. If you're interested in donating your body to a particular institution, get in touch and let the institution know.
Learn more about organ (and body) donation here:
- The U.S. government on donation (plus some more links it offers)
- Coalition on Donation
- TransWeb
- Body donation programs in the U.S.
Learn more about last-days planning from the Funeral Consumers Alliance and the long but enlightening Funerals and Ripoffs. Also check out our previous "Ask the Fools" on how much funerals cost and how to plan your will. Finally, a good resource for learning about estate-planning issues is Estate Planning Links.
