How to get off the organ donor registry
The other night I got an email from someone and they asked me how to get off the Organ Donor registry. They were not the first to ask. I suspect that to happen as more people find out the truth about “brain death”… that you are still alive when you are pronounced “brain dead”.
First, rescinding your desire to donate your organs at the DMV or Secretary of State is NOT enough,you will still be on the organ donor registry.
Revocation is not enough, you must document a Refusal.
The Revised Anatomical Gift Act, Section 8, takes away from families the right or authority to consent to, amend or revoke anatomical donations made by others during their lifetimes, even though alert relatives might make different decisions based on current circumstances and complete information of their loved ones. Byrne,Paul.M.D. Do Your Organs Belong To The Government. 2012
The Revised Anatomical Gift Act states that a revocation of an anatomical gift “does not equal a refusal.” If you change your mind and want to get off the organ registry; you not only have to revoke your prior anatomical gift, but also issue a Formal Refusal.
How to Write a Formal Refusal
1) Write or type up a letter, (two copies) stating you no longer want to be on the Organ Donation Registry.
2) Have it signed by two witnesses, have it sign by a notary and send to your Regional Organ Procurement Organization.
3) Keep a copy for yourself. Take it with you when you travel. It has to be put in YOUR file at the hospital if you are ever injured and can not speak for yourself.
4) Have it accessible to other family members.
If you have registered in two or more states and change your mind about donation, be sure to remove yourself from ALL donor registries.
One other thing, tell your family and friends of your decision, why you are not going to be an Organ Donor. They will be asked “what you would have wanted if you are on a ventilator.
Classes of People
The Revised Anatomical Gift Act allows for certain “classes” of people to make the decision to harvest your organs if you have not donated.
Permission descends from the highest class of people to the next and so forth when a search is done for someone who is “reasonably available”. They did not define “reasonably available” in the Act.
That list includes the person’s health care agent, adult grandchildren and close friends.
One of my friends son’s was hit by a car walking home from work in Ann Arbor. The doctors at U of M told her he was “brain death”, to pull the plug and harvest his organs. She called me up two years ago before I knew anything about “brain death” and ask me to pray with her and what she should do.
We prayed together and then I said, ” _______ you are ______ mom, you know best…go with your gut.”
She refused to take him off life support. Then they started asking his friends, “Did _____ ever tell you he didn’t want to be on life support?”
My friend’s son is fine, walks, talks and works. I’m interviewing them and will be doing a blog post on what they experienced.
Thank God I gave her that answer as I didn’t understand one thing about “brain death” at that time. I post a lot of Friday success stories yet you really don’t hear much about them in the United States. I have a recent one coming on Friday that is mind-blowing.
Here are the cards you need to sign, get notarized and “carry” with you.
I can send them to you in a pdf file on how to preserve and protect life and sign a refusal for easier printing if you email me or ask for me to send it to you in a comment below.
Better yet go to Life Guardian Foundation and download it.
