FAQs ABOUT DONATION

The following are answers to some of the most frequently asked questions about organ and tissue donation and transplantation.

The FAQs are presented in the following categories:

SIGNING UP
AFTER YOU SIGN UP
DONATION BASICS
CAN I SPECIFY WHICH ORGANS AND TISSUE I DONATE
MONEY MATTERS
FAMILY/SOCIAL ISSUES
MANAGEMENT OF THE REGISTRY

SIGNING UP
AFTER YOU SIGN UP
DONATION BASICS
CAN I SPECIFY WHICH ORGANS AND TISSUE I DONATE
MONEY MATTERS
FAMILY/SOCIAL ISSUES
MANAGEMENT OF THE REGISTRY

- Who can sign up on the Donate Life Georgia Registry?
  The Donate Life Georgia Registry allows Georgians who are at least 18 years of age to register their authorization to donate specific or all organs and tissues upon their death. Children under the age of 17 can join Georgia’s organ and tissue donor registry; however, until the designated donor is 18 years old, the parents or legal guardian will make the final decision about organ and tissue donation at the appropriate time. -top-
- Can my family override my decision to donate?
  Once you sign up with the Donate Life Georgia Registry, your donor designation grants authorization for donation to take place. Should you be in the position to donate, your next of kin will be presented with documentation of your registration. -top-
- Why register? Isn’t it enough to have a donor card?
  A signed and witnessed donor card does grant authorization for organ and/or tissue recovery, but due to the suddenness and emotion surrounding the circumstances, a donor card is rarely available at the time a family is approached regarding donation. Furthermore, Georgia does not keep records of who has signed donor cards. Without documentation of a loved one's wishes, families often decline to authorize donation. By signing up on the Donate Life Georgia Registry, your desire to donate is stored in a secure, confidential database. Should your death result in the opportunity for you to be a donor, an official record of your donor designation will be readily available and can be shown to your family. Thus, should you be medically suitable to donate, your wishes will be respected, and your family will be relieved of the burden of making a decision on your behalf. -top-
- Does my age, pre-existing medical condition, or sexual orientation prevent me from being a donor?
  Do not rule yourself out. The fact that you want to be a donor is something to be celebrated, and we encourage you to register your decision. Age, most medical conditions or sexual orientation does not exclude you from being a suitable organ and tissue donor. (In fact, there has been a 93-year-old kidney donor and a 99-year-old cornea donor!) In the event you are in a position to be an actual donor, medical professionals will evaluate your medical history to determine your suitability to donate. If you wish to be a donor, sign up! -top-
- Can I sign up my children?
  Yes, you can register your children on the Registry. Until registrants are 18 years old, parents (or legal guardians) will make the final decision about organ and tissue donation at the appropriate time. -top-
- How do you ensure that someone does not sign up another person without his or her knowledge or authorization?
  Each registrant will be asked to submit personal and identifying information, which will be verified by Georgia’s Department of Driver Services. -top-
- Does the registry allow me to sign up to be a marrow or living organ donor?
  We are pleased to include on the registry links to information about blood, marrow, living kidney, and living liver donation click here. -top-
- Does my registration grant authorization for whole body donation?
  Signing up on the Donate Life Georgia Registry does not grant permission for your body to be donated to medical schools. Organ and tissue donation for transplant or research purposes is not the same as willed body donation. Willed whole body programs are associated with teaching hospitals at major universities, and arrangements must be made in advance directly with the institutions. Please note: should you choose to authorize whole body donation, you will be unable to donate your organs or tissue for transplant. -top-
- I have an advance directive authorizing donation of my organs. Should I also register with the Donate Life Georgia Registry, or will the advance directive be enough?
  Signing up on the Donate Life Georgia Registry is the only way to fully ensure that your wish to donate are honored. Due to the rapid and emotional nature of events surrounding sudden death, often times families do not have time to check legal documents prior to being approached about donation. However, since Georgia’s organ and tissue donor registry is viewed in all potential donation cases prior to approaching the family, we are able to share proof of registration with family members at the time donation is discussed with them. -top-
- Is it possible to restrict my donation from prisoners or other groups?
  Federal law does not allow you to restrict your donation to or from specific classes of individuals. -top-
- What if I don’t have an email account or access to a computer?
  If you do not have an email account, you can get a free email account by visiting http://www.hotmail.com or you may also use the email address of a relative. If you do not have access to your own computer, you may sign up at your neighborhood library. -top-
- I don’t want to sign up online. Is there any other way to register?
  In addition to online registrations, you may sign up on the Donate Life Georgia Registry when you apply for or renew your driver license or ID card through the Georgia Department of Driver Services (DDS). If you are unable to sign up online or via the DDS, you can contact us at 866-57 SHARE (74273) and we will mail you a registration form. -top-
- How do I print my registration card?
  The screen that confirms your registration displays your unique Registration ID and password. It also includes a donor card that can be cut out and placed in your wallet. It is not necessary to carry a donor card, as you are registered in the database. At any time, you may return to the registry Web site, click on Update My Donor Profile, enter your login information, then print the confirmation screen. -top-
- What do I do if I’ve lost my Registration ID number and/or my password?
  Please contact a Donate Life Georgia Registry administrator at info@donatelifegeorgia.org. You also may sign up again with your most current information, and your most recent registration record will be used in the event that you are a potential donor. However, it is recommended that you keep your Registration ID and password in a safe place for making updates. -top-
- How do I make changes to my registration?
  If you sign up online, the screen that confirms your registration displays your unique Registration ID and Password. If you sign up at the DMV, your driver license number acts as your Registration ID number. At any time, you may visit the registry website, click on Update My Donor Profile, enter your login information, then change your password, personal information, specify donation limitations or remove your name from the Donate Life Georgia Registry. -top-
- I made a mistake on my registration and I am unable to change it when I “Update My Donor Profile”.
  To protect your identity, the Registry will not allow changes to key pieces of personally identifying information, such as your name and date of birth, once you have signed up. You will need to re-register. Having multiple registrations is not a problem. We will simply consider the most recent registration to be the binding one. -top-
- If something should happen to me while I am traveling, what role does my registration play?
  All matters concerning organ and tissue donation are under the jurisdiction of each state’s or country’s respective laws. While your registration will not serve as legally binding authorization for donation outside Georgia, it will serve as a clear indication of your wish to donate and will be shared with your family when they are approached by the local organ recovery organization. -top-
- How do I cancel my registration if I signed up online?
  If you sign up online, the screen that confirms your registration displays your unique Registration ID and Password. If you sign up via the DDS, your driver license number acts as your Registration ID number. At any time, you may visit the registry Web site, click on Update My Donor Profile, enter your login information, then check the box to remove your name from the Registry. -top-
- How do I cancel my registration if I signed up via the DDS?
  If you sign up on the Donate Life Georgia Registry at the DDS and wish to cancel your registration, you need to (1) remove your name from the list of designated donors and (2) remove the donor designation from your driver license or ID card. First, visit the registry Web site, click on Update My Donor Profile, enter your login information, then check the box to remove your name from the Registry’s list of designated donors. You will also have to visit a DDS office to purchase a new driver license without the organ donor designation. Verification of donor designation is only done through the Registry database. Be sure to tell your family and friends your decision about organ donation. If anything does happen to you, your family members will be asked about your wishes. If you try to access your record, and it cannot be found, please allow time for the information to transfer. If after seven days you are still unable to access your donor profile, please contact us at info@donatelifegeorgia.org -top-
- What is organ donation?
  Organ donation is the process of recovering organs from a deceased person and transplanting them into others in order to save the lives of those in need. Up to eight lives can be saved through the gifts of donation which include the heart, liver, lungs, kidneys, pancreas, intestine.
- What is tissue donation?
  Tissue donation is the process of recovering tissue from a deceased person for transplantation. Donated tissue includes heart valves, bone, skin, corneas/eyes and soft tissue. Annually, more than 750,000 lives are helped through tissue transplantation.
- How are organs distributed to potential recipients?
  Those in need of transplants are listed at the transplant center where they plan to have surgery, and on the national computerized registry. UNOS (the United Network for Organ Sharing) maintains the list of patients waiting for a transplant and a 24-hour telephone service to aid in matching donor organs with patients on the national waiting list. A donor's blood type, tissue type, body weight, and size are matched against patients on the list. If there are multiple matches, priority is given to the sickest patients or, in the case of kidneys, those who have been on the waiting list the longest. In general, preference is given to recipients from the same geographic area as the donor because timing is a critical element in the organ recovery process. Factors such as race, gender, age, and income or celebrity status are never considered when determining who receives an organ. -top-
- How can my organs and tissue be used for research?
  Organs, tissue, and eyes that are not suitable for transplant may be recovered by the local organ procurement organization (OPO) for pre-approved medical research if the donor (or family, in lieu of a registry record) authorizes such. All research projects are carefully evaluated by each OPO, and only those projects that offer clear medical benefit and are administered by experienced, reputable organizations are approved. -top-
- What if I don’t want my organs and/or tissues to be used for research?
  Donated organs and tissue may be used for two purposes: transplantation and medical research. The Donate Life Georgia Registry allows you to opt out of donating organs and/or tissues for research. During the signup process, check off the “Donation Limitations” box and check the “For Research” box under both Organs and Tissue. If you have already signed up online or via the DDS, you may go to the registry Web site, click on Update My Donor Profile, enter your login information, then specify donation limitations. While updating your profile you may also change your password and personal information or remove your name from the Donate Life Georgia Registry. -top-
- Can I specify which organs and tissues I donate?
  Yes. By checking the “Donation Limitations” box on the first signup page, the subsequent page allows you to opt out of donating specific organs and/or tissues or donating for medical research. -top-
- Can organs be given to people of a different racial group or gender?
  In most cases, race and gender are not factors. However, organ size (which can be affected by gender) is critical to match a donor heart, lung or liver with a recipient. Genetic makeup can be a factor when matching a kidney or pancreas donor and recipient because of the importance of tissue matching with these organs. Optimal tissue matching can happen within the same racial and genetic background. For example, an individual of Asian descent may be a better match to a donor that shares the same ethnicity than to someone of a different race. However, cross-racial donations can and do happen with great success when matches are available. -top-
- If a family member is in need of an organ at the time of my death, can I specify that he or she is to receive it?
  “Directed donation” of an organ to a specific individual is legal, but it must be done at the time of donation. (Organs may not be directed to someone within a group or class of individuals.) Directed donation is best supported by an advance directive or may be granted by the legal next of kin at the time of donation. -top-
- Can organs be sold?
  No. Buying and selling organs for the purpose of transplantation is illegal in the United States. Under the Uniform Anatomical Gift Act of 1984, human organs cannot be bought or sold, and violators are subject to fines and imprisonment. This strict regulation prevents any type of "black market" for organs in the United States. Medically speaking, illegal sales are impossible because recovered organs must be appropriately matched to recipients and distributed according to national policy established by UNOS. -top-
- Is my family or estate charged for donation?
  No. There is no cost to the donor’s family for organ and tissue donation. Once death is declared and authorization is confirmed through the donor registry, or from the family in lieu of the registry, all costs associated with organ and/or tissue recovery are assumed by the recovery organizations. Hospital expenses incurred before the donation of organs or tissues in attempt to save the donor’s life and funeral expenses remain the responsibility of the donor’s family. -top-
- Who pays for donated organs?
  All costs associated with organ recovery are assumed by the recovery organizations. These costs are then reimbursed by transplant centers that in turn bill private and public insurance plans.
- What if my family members are opposed to donation?
  At the time when donation is possible, family members will be informed of their loved one's wish to donate and walked through the process so they will know and understand how the recovery agency will carry out their loved one’s decision to be a donor. In the event of a loved one’s sudden death, it will ease the family’s pain to already know the wishes of their loved one regarding donation. For this reason, we recommend that you tell your family about your donation decision today. -top-
- Does my religion allow donation?
  With the lone exception of Shinto, all major religions throughout the world support or permit organ and tissue donation, with most viewing it as a humanitarian act of giving. Transplantation is consistent with the life-preserving traditions of most faiths, and others consider donation a matter of personal choice. Individuals are encouraged to consult their spiritual or religious leader with specific questions. -top-
- Does donation affect funeral arrangements?
  The body is treated with great respect and dignity throughout the process, and the donor's appearance following donation still allows for an open-casket funeral. Once the organ and/or tissue recovery process is completed, the body is released to the donor’s family. From the time the donation process begins, it is usually completed within 24 to 36 hours, and the family may then proceed with funeral arrangements. -top-
- Why do you ask for my ethnicity during the signup process?
  We ask for each registrant to identify their ethnicity as a way to monitor our effectiveness at encouraging people from all of Georgia’s diverse communities to sign up on the registry. Organs are allocated anonymously according to medical criteria, such as blood type and size/weight compatibility. Transplant recipients have no control or advance knowledge of the age, race, gender or ethnicity of their deceased donors. -top-
- Do the donor and recipient families meet?
  Sometimes. The identity of all parties is kept confidential. The donor family and the transplant recipient may receive such information as age, gender, occupation and state of residence. Individually, the recipient may be told the circumstances of the donor’s death. The donor family may be informed of the transplants that were performed and receive information on improvement of the recipients’ health. The donor programs facilitate anonymous correspondence to recipients of the donor. If both the donor family and recipient agree to meet, the donor program will help to facilitate such a meeting. -top-
- Who is responsible for administering the registry?
  The Donate Life Georgia Registry is operated by the non-profit entity LifeLink of Georgia, the state’s federally-designated organ recovery program. -top-
- What is the registry’s relationship to the Georgia Department of Driver Services (DDS)?
  When applying for your Georgia driver license or ID card you will be asked, "Do you wish to register to be an organ and tissue donor?" Stating YES automatically enrolls the applicant in the Donate Life Georgia Registry. -top-
- How can I be sure my information is kept confidential?
  As a state-authorized public service, Donate Life Georgia adheres to the strictest and most up-to-date guidelines to keep all personal information confidential. Why collect this information? Because it is absolutely vital that we identify individual registrants with 100 percent certainty if they should ever be in a position to be an actual organ or tissue donor. Every precaution is in place to protect the information from identity thieves. -top-

Return to Registry to sign-up