Approximately 10 years ago, Kristin Stock of Columbus, Nebraska, received a liver transplant that saved her life. To this day, neither Kristin nor her doctors know why her liver began to fail at age 46.

Over the course of a year, Stock’s health deteriorated quickly. The liver, which rids the body of toxins and helps process nutrients, was no longer doing its job. At one point, Stock was so ill she fell into a 10-day coma. 

Within months of her diagnosis, Stock found herself at the Nebraska Medicine Lied Transplant Center, where she underwent a series of tests to confirm her eligibility for a liver transplant. Timing was on her side. About two weeks later, a liver became available. 

Stock says she is extremely grateful for the second chance at life she was given due to the selfless donation of her organ donor. At the same time, she had guilt that someone else had to lose their life to save hers. She also encountered the myth that health care providers may not work as hard to save someone’s life if that person is a registered organ donor.

These feelings of guilt and organ donor misconceptions are a common source of worry among many organ recipients.

Facing myths firsthand

Stock experienced this misconception personally.

She was at a woman’s retreat and discovered that her roommate secretly despised her when she found out that Stock was an organ transplant recipient. This woman was still grieving the loss of a friend. She believed that her friend died in part because doctors did not work as hard to save his life since he was a registered organ donor. 

Her feelings changed after hearing Stock’s story and learning more about how the transplant organ process actually works. 

“She realized that she had to change how she was thinking about the whole situation,” says Stock. “Instead of thinking about it in terms of someone had stolen her friend’s life, she realized her friend would not be here regardless. Through his organ donation, he saved someone else’s life, just like someone had saved mine.”

Myth: Doctors won’t work as hard to save registered donors

“The misconception about the care of organ donors is 100% myth,” says Kyle Herber, president and chief executive officer of Live On Nebraska, the organ procurement organization that serves Nebraska and Pottawattamie County, Iowa. 

Live On Nebraska is a third-party organization that handles the organ donation procurement process and helps protect the confidentiality of donors and recipients. 

When a patient is declared brain dead or when the difficult decision to end life-sustaining care is made, hospitals are required to contact their local organ procurement organization (OPO) to facilitate potential organ donation.

“We are a third party, so we have had no contact with the organ recipient or organ donor until we are contacted by the hospital,” says Herber. “Likewise, the doctor’s primary job is to save the life of the patient. They have no knowledge about whether their patient is an organ donor.”

Brian Lowes, MD, a Nebraska Medicine advanced heart failure and transplant cardiologist, agrees. 

“We have no involvement in the initial organ donor process. This is all done by Live On Nebraska,” Dr. Lowes says. “While physicians have responsibility to both the patient and the potential organ recipient, there are different physicians taking care of the donors and the recipients.”

Strong safeguards are in place

Additionally, the organ procurement and transplant process is highly regulated to protect both parties involved and to make sure they receive the highest quality of care, notes Dr. Lowes. “There are many safety checks in place and we are audited regularly by the federal government to make sure we are following the proper guidelines.”

Sadly, Dr. Lowes says that survivor guilt among organ recipients is real. 

“The gift of organ donation is a beautiful thing,” he says. “This gift should not be diminished by myths and lack of education about organ donation among the general public. I often remind my patients: ‘No one died to save your life. Yes, they died, and that is very unfortunate. But they left something behind so you can live. And that’s what we should be celebrating.’” 

How the organ procurement and donation process works 

Patient notification

Live On Nebraska is contacted by a hospital when a patient has died or when the decision has been made to end life-sustaining care, such as artificial ventilation. The potential donor must be in a hospital and supported by ventilation for organ donation to take place. 

Authorization

Once contacted, Live On Nebraska is responsible for checking the donor registry to determine if the patient is a registered organ donor. If the patient is not registered, a donation and family advocate will come to the hospital and talk with the family and the potential donor’s legal decision-maker about the option to donate. 

Donor care

Live On Nebraska carefully screens each donor and assesses their current health and past medical history to determine which organs and tissues can safely be transplanted.

Finding recipients

Organ recipients are identified through the Organ Procurement Transplant Network (OPTN), which determines the best match by looking at factors such as blood type, height/weight, medical urgency and distance from the donor. 

Recovery and transplant

After recipients have been identified, the donor surgery is scheduled. 

“Great care is taken to respect the donor’s body and maintain the condition of the recovered organs,” notes Herber.

After procurement of the organs, they are transported to the recipient’s transplant center and transplanted immediately.

Family care

Live On Nebraska donation and family advocates care for the donor’s family throughout the donation process. An aftercare program is also available to provide grief support to families for 13 months following donation.

The impact of donation

Organ donation has been increasing nationally by about 4% to 5% over the last 25 years, says Herber. Most organ donors register through the Department of Motor Vehicles. 

Amazingly, one organ donor can save up to eight lives and heal dozens more, he says.

The biggest challenges impeding organ donation are the myths and misconceptions surrounding this selfless act, notes Herber.  “We’ve found that organ donation can bring much needed comfort and solace to the surviving family members. They often tell us that they are honored their loved one could save someone else’s life. It often brings positivity and a sense of purpose and meaning during a time of traumatic loss.”

Since her transplant more than 10 years ago, Stock says she strives to be a strong advocate of organ donation. 

“I try to educate others about the process whenever possible,” she says. “And I try to support those who need a transplant. Many people struggle with guilt and doubts as to whether they are worthy of such a life-saving gift.”

I feel so grateful and humbled by this gift,” says Stock. “Every birthday is a celebration of life that I’m still here and one year older.”