Tools for Teachers: Classroom Toolkit - Unyts

Life • Sharing • Brotherhood • Heartfelt • Grace • Kindness •Compassion • Healing • Caring • Love • Faith • Hope • Gift •Charity • Precious • Donation • Tissue • Organs • Goodness • Education • Helping • Spirit • Awareness • Giving • Saving •Generosity • Life • Sharing • Brotherhood • Heartfelt • Grace •Kindness • Compassion • Healing • Caring • Love • Faith • HopeGift • Charity • Precious • Donation • Tissue • Organs • GoodnessEducation • Helping • Spirit • Awareness • Giving • Saving •

Generosity Life • Sharing • Brotherhood • Heartfelt • Grace •Kindness • Compassion • Healing • Caring • Love • Faith • HopeGift • Charity • Precious • Donation • Tissue • Organs • GoodnessEducation • Helping • Spirit • Awareness • Giving • Saving •

Generosity Life • Sharing • Brotherhood • Heartfelt • Grace •Kindness • Compassion • Healing • Caring • Love • Faith • HopeGift • Charity • Precious • Donation • Tissue • Organs • Good-ness • Education • Helping • Spirit • Awareness • Giving •Saving • Generosity • Life • Sharing • Brotherhood • HeartfeltGrace • Kindness • Compassion • Healing • Caring • Love • FaithHope • Gift • Charity • Precious • Donation • Tissue • Organs •

Goodness • Education • Helping • Spirit • Awareness • GivingSaving • Generosity • Life • Sharing • Brotherhood • Heart-

felt • Grace • Kindness • Compassion • Healing • Caring • Love

Organ andTissueDonationAwarenessEducationProjectClassroomToolkit

Organ andTissueDonationAwarenessEducationProjectClassroomToolkit

__________

Life • Sharing • Brotherhood • Heartfelt • Grace • Kindness •Compassion • Healing • Caring • Love • Faith • Hope • Gift •Charity • Precious • Donation • Tissue • Organs • Goodness • ducation • Helping • Spirit • Awareness • Giving • Saving •enerosity • Life • Sharing • Brotherhood • Heartfelt • Grace •indness • Compassion • Healing • Caring • Love • Faith • Hope •ift • Charity • Precious • Donation • Tissue • Organs • GoodnessEducation • Helping • Spirit • Awareness • Giving • Saving •enerosity Life • Sharing • Brotherhood • Heartfelt • Grace •indness • Compassion • Healing • Caring • Love • Faith • Hope •ift • Charity • Precious • Donation • Tissue • Organs • GoodnessEducation • Helping • Spirit • Awareness • Giving • Saving •enerosity Life • Sharing • Brotherhood • Heartfelt • Grace •indness • Compassion • Healing • Caring • Love • Faith • Hope •ift • Charity • Precious • Donation • Tissue • Organs • Good-ess • Education • Helping • Spirit • Awareness • Giving •aving • Generosity • Life • Sharing • Brotherhood • HeartfeltGrace • Kindness • Compassion • Healing • Caring • Love • FaithHope • Gift • Charity • Precious • Donation • Tissue • Organs •oodness • Education • Helping • Spirit • Awareness • GivingSaving • Generosity • Life • Sharing • Brotherhood • Heart-elt • Grace • Kindness • Compassion • Healing • Caring • Love

The activities described in this report were supported in part by the U.S. Department of Education, the Pennsylvania Department of Education, and Lancaster-LebanonIntermediate Unit 13. However, the opinions expressed herein do not necessarily reflect the position or policy of the U.S. Department of Education, the PennsylvaniaDepartment of Education, or Lancaster-Lebanon Intermediate Unit 13, and no official endorsement by these agencies should be inferred.

This toolkit was created by Melissa Monti and James Diller, as subcontracted by the Pennsylvania Department of Education and on behalf ofthe Lancaster-Lebanon Intermediate Unit 13. Published 2004.

For questions about the toolkit, please contact Melissa Monti, the Organ and Tissue Donation Awareness Project Coordinator, at (717) 519-1012 or by email at [email protected]. James Diller can be reached at (717) 290-7517 or [email protected].

Commonwealth of PennsylvaniaEdward G. Rendell, Governor

Department of EducationFrancis Barnes, Ph.D., Secretary

Office of Elementary and Secondary EducationGerald L. Zahorchak, D.Ed., Deputy Secretary

Bureau of Curriculum and Academic ServicesSusan Enfield, Bureau Director

Division of Curriculum and InstructionNancy Neil, Division Chief

Division of Curriculum and InstructionShirley A. Black, Health Education Advisor

Pennsylvania Department of Education333 Market StreetHarrisburg, PA 17126-0333

The Pennsylvania Department of Education (PDE) does not discriminate in its educational programs, activities, or employment practices,based on race, color, religious creed, ancestry, union membership, age, gender, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, national origin,AIDS or HIV status, disability, or any other legally protected category. Announcement of this policy is in accordance with State law includingthe Pennsylvania Human Relations Act and with Federal law, including Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964,Title IX of the EducationAmendments of 1972, Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973, the Age Discrimination in Employment Act of 1967, and the Americanswith Disabilities Act of 1990.

IIf you have any questions about this publication, or for additional copies, contact: PDE, Division of Curriculum and Instruction,333 Market Street, 8th Floor, Harrisburg, PA 17126-0333,Voice Telephone: 717-772-0067,Text Telephone TTY: 717-783-8445,FAX: 717-783-3946, e-mail: [email protected].

The following persons have been designated to handle inquiries regarding the non-discrimination policies:

Complaints regarding discrimination in schools:Human Relations Representative Intake Division

Pennsylvania Human Relations Commissionwww.phrc.state.pa.usHarrisburg Regional Office:

Voice (717) 787-9784,Text (717) 787-7279Pittsburgh Regional Office:

Voice (412) 565-5395,Text (412) 565-5711Philadelphia Regional Office:

Voice (215) 560-2496,Text (215) 560-3599

Complaints against a Pennsylvania Department of Education employee:

Pennsylvania Department of EducationEqual Employment Opportunity Representative Bureau of Human Resources11th Floor, 333 Market StreetHarrisburg, PA 17126-0333Voice Telephone: (717) 787-4417Fax: (717) 783-9348Text Telephone TTY: (717) 783-8445

Information on accommodations within the Department of Education for persons with disabilities:

Pennsylvania Department of Education Americans with Disabilities Act CoordinatorBureau of Human Resources11th Floor, 333 Market StreetHarrisburg, PA 17126-0333 Voice Telephone: (717) 787-4417Fax: (717) 783-9348Text Telephone TTY: (717) 783-8445

Title IX and general questions regarding educational law or issues:

Pennsylvania Department of EducationSchool Services Unit Director5th Floor, 333 Market StreetHarrisburg, PA 17126-0333Voice Telephone: (717) 783-3750Fax: (717) 783-6802Text Telephone TTY: (717)783-8445

Table of Contents

Acknowledgements ..........................................................................................................................................................................................2Section 1: OTDA Education Project ..............................................................................................3

OTDA and Partners in Pennsylvania ....................................................................................................................................................6The Gift of Grace..............................................................................................................................................................................................7Letter to Reader ................................................................................................................................................................................................8The Pennsylvania Regional Tissue Bank and Musculoskeletal Transplant Foundation................................................9Greetings from CORE ................................................................................................................................................................................10Gift of Life Donor Program......................................................................................................................................................................11

Section 2: How to Make the Most of This Toolkit ......................................................................13Toolkit Glossary of Terms ..........................................................................................................................................................................16

Section 3: How Have Pennsylvania’s Schools Used the OTDA Framework? ..........................19Lehigh Career and Technical Institute – Schnecksville, PA......................................................................................................22Penn Wood High School – Landowne, PA......................................................................................................................................23

Section 4: Pennsylvania Academic Standards Matching ............................................................25Selinsgrove Area High School – Selinsgrove, PA..........................................................................................................................28Woodland Hills High School – Pittsburgh, PA ..............................................................................................................................29

Section 5: The OTDA Curriculum Framework ..........................................................................33OTDA Education Curriculum Framework ......................................................................................................................................34

Section 6: The Five Domains ........................................................................................................39The Human Experience and Discovery Domain..................................................................41

Real-Life Story..............................................................................................................................................................................................42Introduction ..................................................................................................................................................................................................44

Sample Lesson Plan One ..................................................................................................................................................................45Sample Lesson Plan Two ....................................................................................................................................................................51Related Article and Current Research ......................................................................................................................................58Teacher Tip! ................................................................................................................................................................................................59

The Biomedical Information Domain ..................................................................................65Real-Life Story..............................................................................................................................................................................................66Introduction ..................................................................................................................................................................................................67

Sample Lesson Plan One ..................................................................................................................................................................68Sample Lesson Plan Two ....................................................................................................................................................................70Sample Lesson Plan Three ................................................................................................................................................................72Related Article and Current Research ......................................................................................................................................75Teacher Tip! ................................................................................................................................................................................................76

The Issues and Considerations Domain................................................................................81Real-Life Story..............................................................................................................................................................................................83Introduction ..................................................................................................................................................................................................84

Sample Lesson Plan One ..................................................................................................................................................................85Sample Lesson Plan Two ....................................................................................................................................................................88Related Article and Current Research ......................................................................................................................................89Teacher Tip! ................................................................................................................................................................................................90

The Critical Thinking and Decision-Making Domain ........................................................101Real-Life Story ..........................................................................................................................................................................................103Introduction ................................................................................................................................................................................................104

Sample Lesson Plan One ................................................................................................................................................................105Sample Lesson Plan Two..................................................................................................................................................................110Related Article and Current Research....................................................................................................................................111Teacher Tip!..............................................................................................................................................................................................115

The Working with Community Resources Domain ..........................................................121Real-Life Story ..........................................................................................................................................................................................122Introduction ................................................................................................................................................................................................123

Sample Lesson Plan One ................................................................................................................................................................124Sample Lesson Plan Two..................................................................................................................................................................125Related Article and Current Research....................................................................................................................................126Teacher Tip!..............................................................................................................................................................................................131

Section 7: General Resources ....................................................................................................137General Subject Glossary ......................................................................................................................................................................138Recommended Reading List..................................................................................................................................................................150Video Resources ..........................................................................................................................................................................................152Related Websites..........................................................................................................................................................................................154Letters Home to Parents and to Students ..................................................................................................................................155

Acknowledgements

The OTDA project was not a sole endeavor. There are numerous professionals, organizations, and communitymembers we would like to recognize that, without their insight, time, and resources, this teacher’s toolkit wouldnot have been made possible. Thank you:

Real-Life StoriesGaret Spiese’s real-life story on receiving a healthy liver on Mother’s Day, May 13, 2001 provides inspiration that organ and tissue

donation can be a new lease on life. One generous 17-year-old girl made a decision that saved Garet’s life. However, as each day pass-es by, 17 people across the nation die each day waiting for a transplant.

Other real-life stories have been written and shared with gracious generosity for this project. Without the giving spirit of bothdonors and recipients who have shared these stories, the vital impact of this life-and-death issue would remain elusive and abstract.These stories and the people behind them give life to the topic in the same way that these people have given and received the gift oflife themselves. Because of this, we are able to lift the critical issues off the one-dimensional page and show the many real facets of theface of organ and tissue donation. With such a low supply of needed organs and tissues, the importance of creating awareness on theneed for additional organs and tissues to allow high school students the ability to make informed decisions remains as the core visionbehind the OTDA project.

Gift of Life Donor Program in Philadelphia, PAShelly Morningstar, John Green and Howard Nathan willingly and pleasantly assisted in the construction and ongoing development of

the resources section in this toolkit. Your patience, understanding and insight were greatly appreciated. Thank you for the donation of200 copies of the Flow video and instructional CD-ROM, published by the James Redford Institute and geared toward the high schoolpopulation.

CORE: Center for Organ Recovery & Education in Pittsburgh, PA Pat Kornick’s willingness and efficiency in providing needed materials for the toolkit resource section was very valuable for the pro-

ject’s completion.

The James Redford Institute in Los Angles, CAThe Lancaster-Lebanon Intermediate Unit 13 would like to express gratitude to Annie Aft for permission to use valuable resources

such as several real-life stories from the waiting list.

Indiana Organ Procurement Organization in Fort Wayne, IN Joni Rosebrock provided the Chalk One Up for Life Toolkit that is used to teach OTDA in Indiana secondary student education. Your

toolkit provided a valuable resource for the ongoing research and development of our Pennsylvania toolkit model.

Pennsylvania Department of Transportation in Harrisburg, PAThe Pennsylvania Department of Transportation’s statistics on county-by-county donor designation provide valuable, real-world data

that can be used in classrooms immediately.

Pennsylvania Department of Health in Harrisburg, PAThe OTDA Education Project is grateful for the support and information provided by the Pennsylvania Department of Health and

the Pennsylvania Organ Donation Advisory Committee.

Pennsylvania Department of Education in Harrisburg, PAThe Pennsylvania Department of Education has provided years of guidance and commitment to the OTDA Education Project. The

continued commitment and enthusiasm have been inspiring.

One person at a time, one class at a time, we hope this toolkit will provide you and your students with the most up-to-date infor-mation needed when it comes time to decide whether or not to put the donor designation on your Pennsylvania driver’s license.

Finally, a heartfelt thanks to Kristen Evans, Julie Cunningham and the staff of Communication Link for the design of this toolkit and toChrista Eckert and Ivy Frontanez for unfailing technical assistance.

Decision of a Lifetime2

Life • Sharing • Brotherhood • Heartfelt • Grace • Kindness •Compassion • Healing • Caring • Love • Faith • Hope • Gift •Charity • Precious • Donation • Tissue • Organs • Goodness • Education • Helping • Spirit • Awareness • Giving • Saving •Generosity • Life • Sharing • Brotherhood • Heartfelt • Grace Kindness • Compassion • Healing • Caring • Love • Faith • HopeGift • Charity • Precious • Donation • Tissue • Organs • Goodnes• Education • Helping • Spirit • Awareness • Giving • Saving Generosity Life • Sharing • Brotherhood • Heartfelt • Grace •Kindness • Compassion • Healing • Caring • Love • Faith • HopeGift • Charity • Precious • Donation • Tissue • Organs • Goodnes• Education • Helping • Spirit • Awareness • Giving • Saving Generosity Life • Sharing • Brotherhood • Heartfelt • Grace •Kindness • Compassion • Healing • Caring • Love • Faith • HopeGift • Charity • Precious • Donation • Tissue • Organs • Good-ness • Education • Helping • Spirit • Awareness • Giving •Saving • Generosity • Life • Sharing • Brotherhood • Heartfel• Grace • Kindness • Compassion • Healing • Caring • Love • Fait• Hope • Gift • Charity • Precious • Donation • Tissue • Organs •Goodness • Education • Helping • Spirit • Awareness • Giving• Saving • Generosity • Life • Sharing • Brotherhood • Heart-felt • Grace • Kindness • Compassion • Healing • Caring • Love

Organ Tissue Donation AwarenessEducation ProjectClassroom Toolkit

Section 1

Organ Tissue Donation AwarenessEducation ProjectClassroom Toolkit

Section 1


Introduction to the Organ and Tissue Donation Awareness Education Toolkit

Organ and Tissue Donation Awareness (OTDA) education is an initiative of the Pennsylvania Department of Education (PDE)

designed to provide public school students with the knowledge and skills they need to make informed decisions related to organ

and tissue donation. The initiative began in 1994 when the state legislature passed the Governor Casey Act. Act 102, as it

is called, stipulates that the Commonwealth makes a comprehensive and collaborative effort toward increasing organ

and tissue donation awareness among the citizens of Pennsylvania. To this end, the Departments of Health,

Revenue,Transportation and Education have all undertaken various programs and campaigns related to the

increasing need for organ and tissue donation. The two Pennsylvania Organ Procurement Organizations

(OPOs) and the Pennsylvania Regional Tissue Bank have been instrumental in the cross-collaboration.

The OTDA Education Project is an ongoing project of the PDE, and the Lancaster-Lebanon Intermediate

Unit 13 (IU 13) has been a subcontracted partner in this initiative since 1996. The primary mission of the

OTDA Education Project is that awareness of organ and tissue donation will increase in the public schools

throughout the Commonwealth. Although the hope is that, as an extension, donor designation will increase

among Pennsylvania high school students, the most important aim is that students will be more informed

about the issues and, therefore, more capable of making informed decisions when this critical issue touches

their lives. Whether it is deciding to have “organ donor” on their driver’s license, discussing this issue with family

and friends, researching a paper, or, as is the sad and all-too-frequent reality, facing this issue in their own family

when a loved one is critically injured or in need of a transplant, our students of today need information for the deci-

sions they will face tomorrow. It is our responsibility, as educators, to provide the tools our young adults need to make these

decisions soundly and with the confident knowledge that they had the resources, information, and research skills available to them. The

OTDA Education Toolkit was designed precisely with that end in mind.

This toolkit is the end result of many years of hard work, research, partnerships, and pilot sites. Beginning with three strands of

research––OPOs and community stakeholders, Pennsylvania secondary educators, and public high school students––the IU 13 subcon-

tracted By The Numbers, a statistical firm out of State College, PA, to conduct interviews, distribute surveys, and facilitate focus groups in

an effort to assess current knowledge and desired information on organ and tissue donation within the Pennsylvania education system.

The results were then tabulated and interpreted. Based on the extensive research, the OTDA Curriculum Advisory Subcommittee

developed a curriculum framework in 1998. The framework is an interdisciplinary tool designed to assist secondary teachers to imple-

ment the content into existing curricula. The framework, which is in the shape of a wheel, consists of five content domains: Human

Experience and Discovery; Biomedical; Critical Thinking and Decision-Making; Issues and Considerations; and Working with Community

Resources. The Human Experience and Discovery Domain is at the heart of the wheel as it is seen as the “core” domain that binds all

of the other content areas and drives all inquiry.

After the OTDA Curriculum Framework was developed, seven Pennsylvania high schools piloted the framework with their students.

These schools developed lesson plans, created activities and projects, provided feedback, and helped to align the curriculum framework

with Pennsylvania’s academic standards. Much of the work done by the pilot schools is included in this toolkit. Throughout, you will find

the schools mentioned, by name, and included in such a way as to provide real-world examples of key elements of the OTDA

Education Project implementation.

DDiidd YYoouu KKnnooww??

The Pennsylvania OPOs can provide guest speakers, educationsessions and resourcematerials to aid your own classroom instruction. Simply call the OPOs to arrange a visit to your school!

During the 2003-04 school year, the Lancaster-Lebanon Intermediate Unit 13 developed the OTDA Toolkit through

the ongoing contract with the Pennsylvania Department of Education. It was developed over a significant period of

time, and every effort was used to base it on the curriculum framework, to incorporate many real-life stories of donors

and recipients, and to provide case examples and lesson plans that have been developed and tested by the OTDA pilot

schools. The research findings and results of the initial surveys, interviews, and focus groups with stakeholders, teachers

and students were highly informative in our work. In effect, we listened to what the teachers, students, and stakehold-

ers told us they wanted and needed to be included in this toolkit. We also relied heavily on what the students said

they already knew, didn’t understand, and wanted to know about organ and tissue donation. A common theme among

students in the focus groups was, “We want more information.” Responding to that, we have developed a toolkit that

we hope is user-friendly and full of relevant information. On the following pages and throughout this toolkit, you will

find many “Research Snippets” from the initial research that By The Numbers conducted. We hope they will provide

quick snapshots into what you told us, as well as to highlight the rationale behind the development of the toolkit.

In summary, the purpose of this toolkit is:

• To provide secondary educators with information about OTDA Education.

• To assist secondary educators understand the importance of including OTDA education across the curriculum.

• To provide secondary educators with tools they can readily use to implement the OTDA Curriculum Framework.

• To provide both a concrete and web-based format so that teachers can choose the

most comfortable and convenient access route to this vital information, and to

encourage use of the OTDA listserv as a forum for networking, materials sharing

and problem-solving with other Pennsylvania teachers using the OTDA

Curriculum Framework.

• In the section titled, “How To Make the Most of This Toolkit,” you will find details

about how each of the sections in this kit will aid you in your teaching. Additionally,

there is a Toolkit Glossary designed to explain fundamental terminology you will need

to know.

Note: You can join our listserv or view the web-based version of the OTDA Toolkit

at https://www.iu13.org/aded_otda_main.shtml.

Viewing the web-based version will allow

for easy access to the many related

websites for which you will find URLs

throughout the following pages.“

Being an organ donor makes m

e feel like a good person, like I am m

aking a little bit of difference in the world today. It m

akes you feelreally good. I thought hearing a speech (on OTDA

) made a difference in m

y life and the lives of a lot of other students and teachers.- Jessica, student

“

OTDA and Partners in Pennsylvania

The challenge and vision of getting the message out on the need for organ and tissue donation is an endless and tireless task that

incorporates the efforts of many who made the OTDA curriculum a reality. There are over 87,000 people on the national organ and

tissue waiting list who patiently await a matching donor organ. Education plays a major role in creating awareness, but more importantly

aids in helping the general public learn the facts of OTDA and help dispel the many myths that may hinder more people in considering

organ and tissue donorship. The OTDA Curriculum Framework initially began in 1997 with collaboration between the Pennsylvania

Department of Education (PDE) and the Lancaster-Lebanon Intermediate Unit 13 (IU 13). The following will describe those partners

who helped in the research, advisement, marketing and curriculum development capacities of the OTDA Curriculum Framework and

subsequent OTDA Classroom Toolkit.

From the beginning, there was persistent effort on behalf of the Lancaster-Lebanon Intermediate Unit 13 staff that got the OTDA

project off the ground. Through the guidance of Sandy Strunk, Ilsa Powell Diller and Rich Barbour, the OTDA Education project moved

from concept to reality. They were responsible for all facets of this project: reviewing past curriculum on OTDA; surveying student and

teacher focus groups on their skills and knowledge of organ and tissue donation development; marketing; recruitment of seven

Pennsylvania secondary schools to pilot the OTDA Framework; and providing ongoing professional development and support to those

educators in the field who are implementing the OTDA Curriculum Framework. But they did not accomplish these goals alone. Along

the way, there has been incredible support from the Pennsylvania Department of Education, Pennsylvania Organ Procurement

Organizations and Pennsylvania Regional Tissue Bank. It is, perhaps, only through the education and guidance that the OTDA staff

received from these experts that such a comprehensive secondary education component could be developed.

Pennsylvania’s Organ Procurement Organizations and Regional Tissue Bank have been major partners in support, expertise and

advisement on the OTDA project. The Gift of Life Donor Program, Center for Organ Recovery & Education (CORE), and the

Pennsylvania Regional Tissue Bank assisted in numerous capacities, from the first meeting of the Curriculum Advisory Sub-Committee in

the Summer of 1998 to the January 2001 OTDA Pilot School Kick-Off event, to the present day in assisting in the development of this

teachers’ OTDA toolkit. The Gift of Life Donor Program, CORE and the Pennsylvania Regional Tissue Bank have willingly and unselfishly

given their time and resources to offer tours of their facilities to students, teachers and IU 13 staff and to provide a hands-on learning

experience. In addition, they provide resources that aid teachers and the OTDA project in educating secondary education students on

the facts of organ and tissue donation as they approach the decision of organ donorship when applying for their driver’s license.


The Gift of Grace

By Garet Spiese

In the summer of 2000, a 17-year-old girl I never knew made a decision that would save mylife. Because of her selfless gift, she shall be called "Grace."

Long before Grace was born, when I was just 13 years old, my active adolescence wasabruptly interrupted by a rare liver disorder (eventually diagnosed as autoimmune hepatitis).I was one day a representative in student government, a singer in school and church choirs, acheerleader, and an above-average student. The next, I was confined to a hospital bed, forbid-den to get up except to walk a few feet to the bathroom. Doctors advised my young par-ents to prepare my three siblings for my imminent death before week's end.

Miraculously, with the help of medicine, the encouragement and support of family andfriends, the power of God, and my own stubborn determination, I survived. Life was uncer-tain throughout my teen and early adult years, so I savored each day. Taking care of the ill-ness, but focusing on living, I was blessed with sufficient health and energy to act onstage,work part-time and volunteer as an usher and house manager for various Lancaster theaters.

By 1997 my liver had given all it could. Doctors pronounced me in end-stage liver disease,and I was placed on the UNOS national waiting list for a liver transplant. Before this, I knew asmuch about transplant and organ and tissue donation as a baker knows about astro-physics. I quickly learned that the cost of surgeryand medications required for survival was enormous. I also learned that the number of potential organ donors is infinitesimal com-pared to the number of those waiting for transplant.

I was issued a pager dedicated solely to receiving the phone call that would summon me to the hospital for this life-saving operation.Gradually, my body was breaking down. In the years waiting for a matching donor, I developed diabetes, cataracts, and a chronic legwound which began as a little scratch. With such unpredictable health, I was forced to leave my job and could no longer work in thetheater.

Waiting for that phone call, day-by-day, I prepared for the upcoming financial challenge. I gathered a collection of friends from mytheater and church life to form a fundraising committee, "Garet's Hope." We proceeded to hold events, such as concerts, plays, andyard sales. Our efforts were supported not only by people who had known me for many years from my stage performance and otheractivities, but also by those, strangers to me, who were moved to help. For many, a "Garet's Hope" event was their first exposure totransplant and the need for organ/tissue donation. "Garet's Hope" then had a two-fold mission: 1) to raise funds for the transplantprocess, and 2) to raise awareness for organ and tissue donation.

Meanwhile, on that summer morning in 2000, Grace was learning too. She sat with her dad in the Maryland DMV driver’s testingfacility. As she completed the required forms to obtain her driver’s license, she came upon the question: "Do you wish to indicate thatyou are an organ donor?" Grace asked her dad what that meant. He briefly explained to her that if she should happen to die in anaccident, doctors could give her organs for transplant to a very ill person. "But don't worry, Sugar," he added quickly, "you won't everhave to think about that."

A year later, after a freak accident playing with friends, Grace lay in a hospital bed as her parents stood helplessly by. Her breathingand circulation was supported only by machines which occupied the tiny room. During the week that her parents hoped against hope,they looked through some of Grace's personal effects. Only then did they notice her driver’s license. Below the photo of their lovelyblonde, blue-eyed daughter was printed in bold letters: ORGAN DONOR. Unbeknownst to them, their precious Grace, in her usual,generous spirit, had made this important commitment. In their love for her, they honored her wishes.

On Mother's Day, May 13, 2001, I received the life-saving gift of a healthy liver that had belonged to this vibrant, giving teenager. Onthe dawn of each new morning, I give thanks as I think of her. My husband, Steve, and I now anticipate, instead of short, shaky walksdown hospital corridors, long, quiet walks in the woods surrounding our Lancaster County home. I continue to require vigilant medicalattention, but the threat of death that hovered over me for 37 years is far removed. At last, after 28 years of fearing I would make myhusband a young widower, we embrace each other with peace and security.

The effective work of the OTDA Committee promises new life for many on the ever-growing transplant list. On behalf of thosewho wait, I extend inexpressible gratitude to each facilitator and to every teenager committed to organ and tissue donation. May youremember Grace and others like her.

7

Dear Secondary Educator,

Every 16-year-old student in your school district who applies for a Pennsylvania driver's license is going to be asked to make a deci-

sion that could mean life or death to one of 4,718 Pennsylvanians who are currently on the transplant waiting list. For many young

people, this question, asked by a state worker at a local driver's license center, is just one more annoying detail in the tedious process of

becoming a licensed driver. Yet, for the 17 people across the nation who die each day waiting for a transplant, this same question asked

by this same state worker might mean a last hope for ongoing survival.

Recently, the crisis of organ and tissue donation gained national attention with the public announcement that the National Basketball

Association’s All-Star player, Alonzo Mourning, was in need of a kidney transplant. At 33 years of age, Alonzo received a new kidney on

December 19, 2003, and many young people became aware, for the first time, of some of the critical issues related to organ and tissue

donation.

As educators, we can't depend on the media to provide young people with the knowledge and skills they need to make one of the

most important decisions we all face as citizens and community members. It is the goal of the Organ and Tissue Donation Awareness

Education project to work with secondary schools to ensure that every young person in Pennsylvania has the knowledge and skills nec-

essary to make an informed decision about organ and tissue donation. The Pennsylvania Department of Education, working through its

contractor, Lancaster-Lebanon Intermediate Unit 13, has developed an Organ and Tissue Donation Awareness Education Toolkit that

teachers can use to integrate this critical content into their daily instruction. The Toolkit includes an interdisciplinary curriculum frame-

work, sample lesson plans and numerous real-life stories of donors, recipients, and their families, current research and contemporary

events articles, and many other useful tools for your classroom.

Please contact Melissa Monti (717-519-1012 or [email protected]) at Lancaster-Lebanon Intermediate Unit 13 to learn how

your school can receive Organ and Tissue Donation Awareness Education Toolkits to assist your teachers in preparing young people for

this important decision. We are also planning exciting activities, such as ongoing professional development activities for educators and

incentive grants to schools to help support the dissemination of Organ and Tissue Donation Awareness Education. I urge you to get

involved with this project today.


The Pennsylvania Regional Tissue Bank and MusculoskeletalTransplant Foundation

The Pennsylvania Regional Tissue Bank (PRTB) was chartered and incorporated in 1978 as a free-standing, non-profit,

community-based tissue bank. In fact, it was the first community-based tissue bank in the United States. PRTB officially began opera-

tions in 1982 when it was housed temporarily in the Scranton State Hospital with administrative offices in the county courthouse

annex building. This was also the year PRTB received its first donor, David D’Agostino.

In 1983, a loan was secured to purchase and renovate an old firehouse in South Scranton to house the future home of the tissue

bank. PRTB joined the American Association of Tissue Banks in 1984, and a year later moved into the new facility on Cedar Avenue in

Scranton. The new facility is dedicated in the name of David D’Agostino, its first donor, in order to commemorate all donors.

Dr. Hans Burchardt, known as a transplant pioneer at the University of Florida College of Medicine, joined the staff as Executive

Director in 1985. Also in that year, PRTB was the first tissue bank to institute a long-term tissue-tracking program, which has become a

standard which all tissue banks follow today. In 1988, PRTB became the eighth tissue bank to be accredited by the American

Association of Tissue Banks (AATB). In 1989, three members of the technical staff at PRTB, namely Jack Connors,Ted Bender and Paul

Kostiak, became the first individuals in the state and three of 30 in the country to become Certified Tissue Bank Specialists. This was

the inaugural year for this certification test given by the AATB.

PRTB, continuing its sphere of influence, invited the head of the East German Tissue Bank to visit PRTB in 1990, and thus began a

long history of the two countries working together. The following year of 1991, PRTB hosted a group of transplant leaders in a forum

to begin drafting AATB’s Musculoskeletal Technical Manual. PRTB also began working with Japanese officials in providing technical train-

ing to Japanese technicians. The next year (1992), the first tissue bank opened in Nagoya, Japan with assistance from PRTB.

By 1993, PRTB merged with the Keystone Skin Bank and relocated the processing to the Scranton facility, where the much needed

skin was provided to burn victims throughout the country. The program continued to expand in the ensuing years: 32 people were

employed, and a bio-tech laboratory was added to experimentally transplant human liver cells.

In 1999, the Musculoskeletal Transplant Foundation (MTF) sought to enhance and improve its processing of human tissue capabilities

through an alliance with PRTB. A merger was initiated, and both banks worked jointly in producing quality tissue grafts. The result of

this merger opened the door for PRTB to build and develop a 28,000 square-foot facility in partnership with MTF and Synthes (a com-

pany well known for its service to the musculoskeletal community for metal and plastic implants). PRTB opened the new facility in

Jessup, PA on April 3, 2000. Last year, more than 200,000 tissue grafts were transplanted from tissue processed at PRTB and MTF,

either saving, enhancing or improving the quality of life of the recipient.

You may ask why allograft bone or tissue (which is bone or tissue transplanted from the body of one person to another) is used?

Usually there are inadequate amounts of available autograft (a person’s own bone or soft tissue) and the size and shape of a person’s

own bone is limited. Allograft bone is commonly used in reconstructive surgery of the hip, knee and long bones, as well as in cases of

bone loss due to trauma or tumors. Using allograft tissue from another person eliminates the need for a second operative site to

remove autograft bone or tendon, reduces the risk of infection and safeguards against temporary pain or permanent loss of function at

or near the secondary site. Thus, the decision to donate a loved one’s tissue will most likely reduce the suffering of other individuals,

improve the quality of a fellow human being’s life, save a life, or provide eyesight, a limb, or a joint.

9

10

Greetings from CORE

The Center for Organ Recovery & Education (CORE) is one of the oldest and most innovative organ procurement organizations in

the United States. CORE works with 155 hospitals throughout western Pennsylvania,West Virginia, and a small portion of New York to

provide the organs, tissue and corneas for transplantation.

In addition to offering families the opportunity to donate, CORE coordinates the surgical recovery efforts and placement of organs

and corneas. Since its 1977 inception, the not-for-profit, full-service agency has helped provide renewed health to more than 300,000

people through organ, tissue and corneal transplants.

Over the years, CORE has achieved many milestones. One of its most significant accomplishments was the 1991 creation of a for-

malized educational program tailored to schools. During the last 11 years, CORE successfully extended the donation message to hun-

dreds of schools and thousands of students throughout its region.

The ability to reach the schools would not be such a success without the commitment of educators. The educators have worked

closely with CORE to convey the donation message through health, science, English, driver’s education, life skills and biology classes.

Through the OTDA, the donation message will reach beyond the traditional classroom setting. In partnership with educators, CORE

will strive to disseminate accurate information on donation and to stress the importance of sharing information on donation with family

and friends. What is achieved through the OTDA today will create an integrated educational model for tomorrow.

Center for Organ Recovery & Education800-DONORS-7 ~ 800-366-6777

www.core.org

Decision of a Lifetime

Gift of Life Donor Program

Educators strive to create a learning experience that will guide, inspire, and motivate young people to step outside of familiar territoryand explore ideas that are new and challenging. Introducing organ and tissue donation and transplantation in the classroom provides anopportunity to help students develop life-long lessons, and may even save lives.

Students may know that more than 87,000 patients in the United States and almost 4,700 men, women and children in our regionawait a life-saving organ transplant. Perhaps, they may have read, that while a majority of Americans support donation, less than halfactually makes a decision to donate. Research, however, among high school students, indicates that, while some students possess someknowledge and skills about donation and transplantation, gaps in knowledge and misconceptions about organ and tissue donationappear to be prevalent among students. Teaching about organ and tissue donation is more than understanding numbers on a waitinglist, or how long the human heart can remain out of the body before transplant–it’s about the human experience–helping to create asense of social responsibility in young people.

Education and communication are key to increasing awareness and saving lives. As a member of the Pennsylvania Governor’s OrganDonation Advisory Board, Gift of Life Donor Program participates with the Lancaster-Lebanon Intermediate Unit 13 and PennsylvaniaDepartment of Education in the Organ and Tissue Donation Awareness Project. Gift of Life provides professional and public educationprograms and serves as the primary source of information on organ and tissue donation and transplantation in the region. In recentyears, Gift of Life Donor Program has partnered with educators to incorporate organ and tissue donor awareness into educational cur-ricula to inform local communities of the need for organs and tissues for transplant.

Gift of Life Donor Program, the region’s nonprofit organ and tissue donor program, serves as the link between those who donateand patients awaiting life-saving organ transplants in eastern Pennsylvania, southern New Jersey and Delaware. Founded in 1974, Gift ofLife is one of the oldest and largest of 58 organ and tissue procurement organizations in the United States, responsible for recoveringand distributing organs and tissues used in life-saving and life-enhancing transplants. Working with the nationwide organ and tissue shar-ing network run by the United Network for Organ Sharing (UNOS), Gift of Life maintains the registry of men, women and children inthe region who are waiting for a life-saving organ transplant. Gift of Life serves the region’s 13 transplant centers, where heart, lung,kidney, liver and pancreas transplants are performed. In addition, Gift of Life coordinates life-enhancing tissue transplants for area resi-dents who are in need of corneas for sight restoration, as well as skin, tissue and bone to repair injuries. Gift of Life Donor Programpartners with the region’s 154 acute care hospitals to offer families the option of donation. Due to the selfless generosity of those whodonate and their families, Gift of Life has coordinated more than 20,000 transplants for patients in the region since 1974.

The success of organ and tissue donation and transplantation would not be possible without the continued relationships that Gift ofLife has developed with not only the healthcare community, but also with area businesses, civic and community groups, and schools.Gift of Life works in partnership with educators and schools to raise awareness among young people about the importance of dona-tion and transplantation.

Gift of Life Donor Program is committed to promote and provide quality educational programs and recognizes the importance oflearning about the facts and human experience in order to prompt discussion about organ and tissue donation. Donation of organsand tissues for transplants occurs when an individual makes a decision to become a donor. Only when people are informed are theyable to make such an important, lifesaving decision.

For more information on youth education programs, please contact Gift of Life Donor Program at 800-DONORS-1 (800-366-6771)or visit our website at www.donors1.org.

11

Life Sharing Brotherhood Heartfelt Grace Kindness Compassion • Healing • Caring • Love • Faith • Hope • Gift •Charity • Precious • Donation • Tissue • Organs • Goodness • Education • Helping • Spirit • Awareness • Giving • Saving •Generosity • Life • Sharing • Brotherhood • Heartfelt • Grace •Kindness • Compassion • Healing • Caring • Love • Faith • HopeGift • Charity • Precious • Donation • Tissue • Organs • Goodnes• Education • Helping • Spirit • Awareness • Giving • Saving Generosity Life • Sharing • Brotherhood • Heartfelt • Grace •Kindness • Compassion • Healing • Caring • Love • Faith • HopeGift • Charity • Precious • Donation • Tissue • Organs • Goodnes• Education • Helping • Spirit • Awareness • Giving • Saving Generosity Life • Sharing • Brotherhood • Heartfelt • Grace •Kindness • Compassion • Healing • Caring • Love • Faith • HopeGift • Charity • Precious • Donation • Tissue • Organs • Good-ness • Education • Helping • Spirit • Awareness • Giving •Saving • Generosity • Life • Sharing • Brotherhood • Heartfelt• Grace • Kindness • Compassion • Healing • Caring • Love • Fait• Hope • Gift • Charity • Precious • Donation • Tissue • Organs •Goodness • Education • Helping • Spirit • Awareness • Giving• Saving • Generosity • Life • Sharing • Brotherhood • Heart-felt • Grace • Kindness • Compassion • Healing • Caring • Love

How to Make the Most of This Toolkit

Section 2


Section 2


School-aged students are excited by the content of this framework and have informed the OTDA Project development at all stepsof the process. Extensive, multi-year focus group research was done prior to any material creation so that the project staff could developimmediately relevant, interesting and engaging content. To this end, the curriculum framework is learner-centered and based on currentresearch. Information gleaned from the student focus groups and teacher surveys has been instrumental in determining the structureand key components of this framework.

Because students are intrinsically motivated by critical issues and contemporary topics, the curriculum framework and correspondingtoolkit have been designed to organize the knowledge and skills secondary students will need to make an informed decision related toorgan and tissue donation. It does not presuppose a "correct" decision, but rather focuses on helping learners understand the facts oforgan and tissue donation, explore the complexity of the issue, and acquire the decision-making skills they will need for this critical lifedecision.

This toolkit was designed for use by any secondary public school educator within Pennsylvania’s public school system. It can be usedby a teacher of any discipline and would be especially valuable when used by several teachers in a cross-disciplinary fashion. Becausethis material lends itself to various disciplines and contexts, it is helpful to have a road map to guide teaching and learning related toorgan and tissue donation. It is the intent of the Organ and Tissue Donation Awareness Education Project to offer secondary teachersa content road map that will be specific enough to guide instruction, but also flexible enough to allow multidisciplinary content imple-mentation. The OTDA Toolkit is designed to facilitate ease in interpreting and using that road map.

Other audiences for this framework might include curriculum coordinators, school administrators, public health educators, communi-ty organizations and families. The adaptable structure of the framework allows users the opportunity to focus not only on topics perti-nent to a particular subject area, but also address issues most important to the primary receivers of the information––the students.

The OTDA Curriculum Framework is designed to be a dynamic and flexible tool. The OTDA Curriculum Framework Wheel ismade up of five content domains: The Human Experience;The Biomedical Information;Working with Community Resources; Issues andConsiderations; and Critical Thinking and Decision-Making. The Domains are, in turn, divided into relevant subsections, or topic indica-tors, that relate to the larger content domains. For example, the Biomedical Information Domain provides secondary students withbaseline knowledge related to the following topic indicators: anatomy and physiology of organ and tissue donation, transplantationprocess and the facts and fictions associated with organ and tissue donation awareness. Taken together, these topic indicators make upthe entire Biomedical Information content domain.

Lesson plans in any curricular area can be developed within each domain, and lessons can be specifically matched to each topic indi-cator. There is a great deal of flexibility within the curriculum framework; and there is also significant room for creativity. It is not meantto be a prescribed or mandated curriculum, but rather descriptive of guidelines, parameters and indicators of success. To that end, thetoolkit has been developed to facilitate the implementation of the framework and to guide you through that creative process in a waythat is easy to use, highly adaptive, and aligned with the Pennsylvania AcademicStandards. In fact, there is a section dedicated to Pennsylvania’s AcademicStandards, which includes an explanation of how the framework was devel-oped and cross-walked with the standards. You can read case examplesof how several Pennsylvania schools have used the framework and howthe lessons were aligned with the standards. Additionally, the standardsmet with each activity are included in each specific lesson plan.

Within the toolkit, you will find a section specifically dedicatedto the OTDA Curriculum Framework, and there you will find

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• Biology-related classes, such as anatomy or physiology. (45%)

• Classes that focus on the care of the body, such as health class. (11%)

• Classes that focus on death and dying. (8%)• Courses such as bioethics or medical ethics. (5%)

• Driver’s education or safety education classes. (5%)• Topics related to current issues. (4%)

• First aid or CPR courses. (4%)

detailed information about how the framework can benefit your planning. You will also find agraphic of the OTDA Curriculum Framework wheel. Following this general section, there is a sec-tion for each domain that includes an introduction specific to that content domain, at least twosample lesson plans, and at least one sample article from current research or news that could beused as supplemental reading. Each article has been identified as relating to a specific domain andat least one topic indicator. Each domain also contains resources linked to that domain by topic.

Some of the resource pages dispersed throughout the toolkit include:• Organ and Tissue Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ's) • Myths and Facts • Statistics • Perspectives on Donation According to the Major Religions• Minorities and Donation• What is the Difference Between Death and Coma?• The Sequence of Events in a Deceased Donation• What are the Three Types of Donors?

The General Resources section includes subsections such as:• Letters to parents and/or guardians • Related websites, books and videos for further research • A general subject glossary• A list of contact information for guest speaker arrangements

These sections are designed to put ready-to-use information andresources at your fingertips. Use these subsections to supplement andenhance your lesson plans.

This OTDA Toolkit is a classroom resource guide that willevolve with the research base and expand dramatically as moreand more secondary teachers begin to work with this material.Because it is both web-based and concrete, much of thisexpansion will be in “real time;” the use of the listserv is anice illustration of this point. The listserv is merely onecomponent of the OTDA website, and though it is notspecifically incorporated into the toolkit, we encourage contributions anddiscussions related to real-world applications of the framework and contentareas. As we update the toolkit, we will continue to refresh and updatepractical activities and case examples of implementation. As you and yourcolleagues use the toolkit, we encourage you to provide feedback andexperiences. This will directly help to evolve the curricular content.

The toolkit is both web-based and concrete. Visithttps://www.iu13.org/aded_otda_main.shtml to access the toolkit on theInternet.

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In 2003, there were 25,467

transplants in the United

States of America, and

87,000 people were on the

National Waiting List.

15

Toolkit Glossary of Terms

CORE – Center for Organ Recovery & Education (in Pittsburgh, PA)

G.O.L. – Gift of Life (in Philadelphia, PA)

IU 13 – (Lancaster-Lebanon) Intermediate Unit 13

OPO – Organ Procurement Organization

OTDA – Organ and Tissue Donation Awareness

PDE – Pennsylvania Department of Education

Anatomy – The dissection of a plant or animal to study the structure, position and interrelation of its various parts.

Biomedical Information Domain – The goal of the domain is to provide secondary students with the baseline knowledge related to the anatomy and physiology of organ and tissue donation, the organ and tissue donation and transplantation process,and facts and fictions associated with organ and tissue donation awareness.

Brain Death – Is death. All brain tissue is dead. There is no blood flow to the brain and no electrical activity occurs in the brain during this state. It is permanent and irreversible.

Critical Thinking and Decision-Making Domain – The goal of this domain is to assist secondary students in developing and demonstrating the decision-making and problem-solving skills they will need to make an informed decision related to organ and tissue donation.

Curriculum – A group of related courses, often in a special field of study.

Curriculum Framework – A group of related domains, each seen as an integral subsection of an overarching topic or area of study. As opposed to a curriculum, which is a group of courses for study, a framework is more easily understood as a rubric of skills and topics that can be taught in a variety of ways. Therefore, a curriculum framework is inherently more flexible and adaptable than a specific curriculum.

Domain – A sphere of activity or interest; a field (e.g. Biomedical Information is a field within the OTDA Framework.).

Donor – An individual from whom blood, tissue or an organ is taken for transfusion, implantation or transplant.

Ethics – The rules or standards governing the conduct of a person or the members of a profession (e.g. medical ethics).

Framework – A structure for supporting or enclosing something else, especially a skeletal support used as the basis for some-thing being constructed.

Human Experience and Discovery Domain – The goal of the domain is to provide authentic experiences and stories that will allow learners to explore the impact that organ and tissue donation has on the lives of donors, recipients, medical professionals, family and community members.

Implantation – To insert surgically (e.g. to implant a heart).

Informed Decision –The act of reaching a conclusion or making up one’s mind after acquainting oneself with knowledge of a subject.

Initiative – A government or publicly funded project. The OTDA Curriculum Framework Initiative was started in 1997 between two organizations, PDE and IU 13.

Issues and Considerations Domain – The goal of this domain is for secondary students to explore the medical,demographic, social, legal/political and global issues relevant to organ and tissue donation that are pertinent to the learning context.


Listserv – The listserv allows messages to be posted to all that sign up and volunteer an e-mail address. An IU 13 listserv can be found and subscribed to by logging onto www.iu13.org. Once signed on, you will receive all OTDA messages via the listserv.

Organ – A differentiated part of an organism, such as the heart, that performs a specific function.

OTDA Curriculum Advisory Sub-Committee – A group of people committed to a common purpose. The OTDA Sub-Committee consisted of people from Gift of Life, CORE, Pennsylvania Regional Tissue Bank, community members (including teachers), and donor families. The purpose of this committee was to review drafted OTDA curriculum and evaluate the progress ofOTDA IU 13 staff in their pursuit toward OTDA Curriculum Framework goal achievement.

Pilot Site – A program that is produced as a prototype for consideration for adoption. The OTDA program developed a curriculum framework to be tested at seven secondary schools within Pennsylvania, with hopes of successfully gaining additional highschools to adopt its curriculum content.

Physiology – The study of the functions of living organisms and their parts.

Procurement – To obtain or acquire for another.

Recipient – One who receives blood, tissue or an organ from a donor.

Resources – Information that can be used for support or help. The OTDA toolkit gives a teacher resources (e.g. CD-Rom/DVD, sample lesson plans, OTDA facts and myths, etc.).

Tissue – An aggregation of morphologically similar cells and associated intercellular matter getting together to perform one or more specific functions in the body. There are four types of tissue: muscle, nerve, epidermal and connective.

Toolkit – A set of resources (e.g. sample lesson plans, CD-Rom, OTDA classroom activities, real-life stories, etc.) used to aid a teacher in educating students on OTDA.

Topic Indicator – Topic or subject areas that relate to the larger domain content areas. For example, the Biomedical Information Domain provides secondary students with baseline knowledgerelated to the topic indicators:anatomy and physiology of organ and tissue donation, transplantation process and the facts and fictions associated with organ and tissue donation awareness. Taken together, the topic indicators make up the entire content domain.

Transfusion – The transfer of whole blood or blood products from one individual to another.

Transplantation – To transfer (tissue or organ) from one body or body part to another.

Working with Community Resources Domain – The goal of this domain is to make secondary students aware of the many community resources related to organ and tissue donation that are available to them.

17


How Have Pennsylvania’sSchools Used the OTDAFramework?

Section 3

How Have Pennsylvania’sSchools Used the OTDAFramework?

Section 3

How Have Pennsylvania’s Schools Used the OTDA Framework?

The OTDA Curriculum Framework has successfully been implemented in seven secondary schools in Pennsylvania. Central HighSchool - Erie, PA; Mohnton Valley Senior High School - Houtzdale, PA; Penn Wood High School - Lansdowne, PA; Lehigh Career and

Technical Institute - Schnecksville, PA;Woodland Hills High School - Pittsburgh, PA; Selinsgrove Area High School - Selinsgrove,PA; and George Washington Carver High School for Engineering and Science - Philadelphia, PA all participated as OTDA

pilot sites. The OTDA Framework was integrated into numerous subjects and courses throughout the seven schools– often in a cross-discipline approach. OTDA was introduced in the following courses: English, creative writing,

math, biology, chemistry, anatomy and physiology, technology, heath and physical education, student leadership,graphic design and graffiti, and business. In addition, two separate schools developed an OTDA Committeewith one teacher facilitating and with students from Grades 10 through 12 participating as members. Anotherschool developed a Future Problem Solving workshop that directly addressed organ and tissue donationissues.

There were several schools that chose to implement the OTDA curriculum into multiple academic disci-plines and others that chose to specialize on a single content area. For example, Moshannon Valley SeniorHigh School successfully illustrated how the OTDA Framework can be inserted in alignment with their cur-rent English and creative writing curriculum. Students at Moshannon Valley incorporated OTDA into essay

and journal writing. Conversely, Central High School faculty took on more of a generalist approach toexposing students to the OTDA Framework. A team of 12 teachers adjusted their content areas presenting

information related to organ and tissue donation so that information could be presented at approximately thesame timeframe for a cross-curricular presentation. In either model, both covered numerous domains within the

OTDA Framework. The following will illustrate how some schools were able to implement OTDA into their exist-ing curriculum and address specific OTDA domains in the process.

Lehigh Career and Technical Institute and Woodland Hills High School successfully demonstrated how the OTDAFramework could carry out many activities that can add value to the community that falls within the Human Experience and DiscoveryDomain. At Lehigh Career and Technical Institute, two students presented a PowerPoint presentation, along with presenting a scrap-book of their activities on OTDA, and won a local Community Awareness competition. From that competition, the students moved onto place third at the Pennsylvania SKILLS USA/VISA competition. Woodland Hills High School took advantage of professionals in thecommunity who could add insight via guest speaking engagements to address students on the myths and facts and other areas of organand tissue donation. They brought in a representative from CORE (Center for Organ Recovery & Education) who spoke to 17 periodsof health classes during the first and second semesters during the 2000-01 school year.

Penn Wood High School successfully illustrated how the OTDA Framework could be implemented into the classroom and has activ-ities for students that addressed the Biomedical Information Domain with OTDA. Sophomores and juniors spent six weeks working onprojects that focused on OTDA. Through consistent research, students were expected to gain further knowledge on the facts and fic-tions of OTDA and understand the organ and tissue donation and transplantation process. In math class, students worked on graphsand statistics related to their projects. In English, they perfected their essays and worked on increasing their medical vocabularies. Theyalso used the Internet and sources in their classroom medical library to research organs, medications and treatments related to organand tissue donation. Sophomores primarily researched an organ in biology. They had to find out everything about their particularorgan: how it works, why it works and what happens to your body if it stops working. The juniors had projects in chemistry that weresimilar ; they investigated what kinds of drugs would cause you to need a transplant and what kinds of drugs would be needed once atransplant was performed.

Selinsgrove Area High School successfully integrated activities in the classroom that aligned with multiple academic disciplines thatillustrated relevance to the Issues and Considerations Domain within the OTDA Framework. Specifically, faculty within theirbusiness/technology curriculum presented content and activities that addressed the legal and political issues surrounding organ and tis-sue donation. The business/technology classes developed a web quest for cross-curriculum application and had students generate pam-phlets and other publications used to make bulletin board displays. Students then discussed and researched organ and tissue donationin Today’s Law class.



About 1/2 of the

teacher/respondents

incorrectly thought

that most organ donors

are between the ages

of 15 and 18.

Woodland Hills High School successfully aligned activities to incorporate covering several topic indicator areaswithin the Working with Community Resources Domain. In particular, they organized several field trips to tour facili-ties that familiarized students with community resources and the role of organ procurement organizations in organand tissue donor awareness. Tours to CORE and the University of Pittsburgh Medical School allowed students toview cadaver dissections, work with medical students, discuss the latest inroads in organ preservation and medications,and view new research in artificial organs as a “bridge to transplant.”

Central High School successfully illustrated the importance of the Critical Thinking and Decision-Making Domain.The faculty and students together developed a video and role-play program on OTDA for a local elementary schoolthat utilized certain topic indicators within the Critical Thinking and Decision-Making Domain. Specifically, the pro-gram in its development addressed the “Gathering and Analyzing” and “Making an Informed Decision” topic indicators.Before their students could share information on donation with elementary students, they had to become experts onthe topic of donation. Upon completion of their research, the presentation was an absolute success.

In conclusion, two teachers best tell the story of how OTDA can bring value into a classroom and a studentslearning.

A Selinsgrove Area High School teacher said:

“Through integration, the framework (OTDA) became a living document and allowed multiple methods of applica-tion into the curriculum. This will help ensure the continuation of the framework in future years as compared to an“add on,” which is done at the expense of the required curriculum and usually only lasts one time. This approach willalso encourage other faculty to begin using the framework in their classrooms. The OTDA grant and framework pro-vided an excellent opportunity to integrate a real-world issue into the classroom. The teachers readily accepted theframework and implemented it into their existing curriculum. The ideas and activities developed by theteachers were extremely well received by the students, and this was evidenced by the quality of theproducts the students generated and the enthusiasm demonstrated throughout the activities.”

A Penn Wood High School teacher said:

“I found it remarkably easy to stay on task andincorporate the OTDA Framework into myexisting math curriculum. By incorporatingthese required standards (listed above:2.5, 2.6, 2.7) into the OTDAFramework, it eliminates the ques-tion, ‘When will I ever use this?’and makes learning easier forthe students because it isdirectly applicable to some-thing they feel is mean-ingful.”

Here are som

e of subject areas that you indicated might be relevant to the topic of organ/tissue donation (in descending order of identified rele-

vance): 1. Health class; 2. Biology; 3. Science in general; 4. Driver’s education/safety; 5. Social studies; 6. Ethics; 7. Ph ysical education; 8. Sociology;

9. Current issues; 10. Family living; 11. H

ealth occupations; 12. Psychology; 13. Death and dying; and 14. Other.

Lehigh Career and Technical Institute – Schnecksville, PA

Primary Contact: Gary Guldin

The Lehigh Career and Technical Institute (LCTI) OTDA Committee is made up of one faculty member and 10 students fromGrades 10-12. Only one student participated in last year’s event; therefore, we developed some new ideas and enhanced some ideasfrom last year.

The week of events were scheduled from February 25 through March 1, 2002. During that time, several events were scheduled,which included the following:

1. Jeopardy Game - Using a smart board, we developed 25 questions highlighting myths, facts, common questions,and the week’s event. The students were asked up to five questions, and had to answer at least three questions correctly.Winners would receive a candy bar and an Organ Tissue Donor t-shirt.

2. Window Display (designed by Marketing Lab) in the main lobby.3. Kickoff event was scheduled for February 27. Guest speakers talked about their experiences concerning organ and tissue

donation to approximately 750 level 1 students (mostly 10th grade). Organ Tissue Donor pamphlets were distributed to the attendees. Pin and poster contest winners were announced. Mall gift certificates were awarded.

4. Placemats were designed and put at the student service area and the teachers’ restaurant.5. One thousand pins were made of the winning design from a pin/poster contest, and handed out during the kickoff event.

Thirty posters (2nd place design winner) were made and displayed throughout the school.6. Lab Crossword Puzzle. Two a.m. and two p.m. labs won a pizza or hoagie party in March. Four to five clues were given

during February 25 and March 1, 2002.7. Two students won a local Community Awareness competition in February to move on to SKILLS USA/VISA State

Competition in April 2002. Students presented a PowerPoint presentation, along with presenting a scrapbook of their activities. On April 19, the students placed 3rd at the Pennsylvania SKILLS USA/VISA competition.

8. Three students presented their activities during the Health Occupations Students of America (HOSA) State Conference scheduled April 10-12, 2002. The presentation included a PowerPoint presentation and scrapbook. The students placed 3rd for Pennsylvania HOSA Leadership Conference.

9. During HOSA State Conference, a display table was manned by LCTI HOSA students. Organ Tissue Donation pamphlets, OTDA Jeopardy game, t-shirts, and pins were distributed. Approximately 900 students were present.

10. During the month of April and May, the OTDA Committee provided a small 10-15 minute presentation to students at LCTI student organization (FCCLA).

11. Health Occupations Lab had a contest for the fastest surgeon using the operation game.12. LCTI was invited to the Lehigh Valley Hospital 04/22/2002 during their OTDA Week kickoff.13. On June 6, 2002, the operation game was played for the fastest transplant surgeon in the Health Occupations Lab.

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• Are more likely than other teachers to be listed as an organ donor.

• Are more likely to personally know a recipient or donor.

• Are more likely to have been a donor or recipient themselves.

• Are more likely to see the subject matter as appropriate for secondary school students.

Penn Wood High School – Lansdowne, PA

Primary Contact:Teja Wood

The OTDA Framework was implemented in the Healthcare Academy at Penn Wood High

School. There are four classrooms that have been involved in piloting the OTDA Curriculum

Framework: biology, chemistry, English and technology. The Healthcare Academy sophomores and

juniors spent six weeks working on projects that focused on OTDA. They worked on these proj-

ects across the curriculum. In math class, they worked on graphs and statistics as they related to

their projects. In English, they perfected their essays and worked on increasing their medical vocabu-

laries. They also used the Internet and sources in our classroom medical library to research organs,

drugs and treatments related to organ/tissue donation. The 10th graders made posters to comple-

ment their projects, and the juniors worked on tri-fold display boards. The 10th graders primarily

researched the organ they chose in biology class. They had to find out everything there is to know

about their particular organ: how it works, why it works and what happens to your body if it stops

working. They looked into the kinds of diseases that you get that would cause you to need an organ

transplant. The 11th graders had projects that were similar, but slightly different. In the chemistry class,

they concentrated more on drugs. They investigated what kinds of drugs would cause you to need a

transplant, and what kinds of drugs would be needed once a transplant was performed. The students

had to find out which drugs were used for which transplant operations and exactly what these drugs do

for the recipient or donor.

While students worked on their projects both in and out of the classrooms, the math, English, science, and technology teachers col-

laborated to make sure we all were on task as far as what we were expecting from our students and what our learning goals were.

Some of the resources used were already being used in our classrooms. For example, several areas of both the math and science

textbooks were used in our efforts to educate the students on OTDA.

Students took a field trip to The Gift of Life in Philadelphia to learn specific facts about being an organ and tissue donor. While

there, they met the transplant coordinator for their area and also had an opportunity to meet a 17-year-old kidney recipient. The Gift

of Life Foundation has been instrumental in providing the students with many of the resources that they used. The Gift of Life sent

pamphlets, keychains, pens, pencils, information packets and bracelets. The students distributed these items in organ donor bags to staff,

new students, and people everywhere they went to promote donor awareness.

Teachers found it to be remarkably easy to stay on-task and incorporate the OTDA Framework into their existing math curriculum.

In the Pennsylvania Academic Standards for Math, the teachers covered: 2.5 Mathematical Problem Solving and Communication––prob-

lem-solving strategies, interpreting results; 2.6 Statistics and Data Analysis––collecting and reporting data (e.g. charts, graphs), analyzing

data; and 2.7 Probability and Predictions––testing the validity of data, calculating probability to make predictions.

By incorporating these required standards into the OTDA Framework, it eliminates the question, “When will I ever use this?” and

makes learning easier for the students because it’s directly applicable to something they feel is meaningful.

TThhiiss iiss wwhhaatt yyoouu ttoolldd uuss::WWhheenn tteeaacchhiinngg aabboouutt oorrggaann//ttiissssuuee ddoonnaattiioonn::•49% of teachers use printed

or audio-visual materials• 16% use guest speakers• 10% engage the students in

general discussion about subject matter

• 6% share personal experi-ences with organ/tissue donation

• 4% Other (e.g. blood drive, field trip, special assemblies)

23


Pennsylvania AcademicStandards Matching

Section 4

Pennsylvania AcademicStandards Matching

Section 4

Introduction to Academic Standards

High school students often question the relevance of curricula. “Why must we learn this?” “Why do we have to know that?”

Effective teachers encourage and respect these questions. They also recognize that Pennsylvania has strong academic standards

that determine what students need to know in order to be able to succeed in the 21st century. The challenge for educa-

tors today is to address these standards through ongoing curriculum development, to make learning relevant for stu-

dents of all ages and to create an educational environment where students learn how to learn. For more informa-

tion on this, visit our website at: https://www.iu13.org/aded_otda_main.shtml and click on the link to the OTDA

Project Update 2000-2002.

Organ and Tissue Donation Awareness (OTDA) crosses academic disciplines, addresses the Pennsylvania

Academic Standards and is relevant to all students. OTDA pilot sites, supported through funding from the

Pennsylvania Department of Education (PDE), report that students were highly motivated to learn about

organ and tissue donation and, once exposed to this content area, are eager to share their knowledge with

others. For example, here is one student’s response from Central High School in Erie, PA after completing

the OTDA studies in her courses:

“I feel that organ and tissue donation is a wonderful thing. I feel that when I die, I won’tneed my organs anymore. If I can help someone that is going to die, I will. Some people think

that when you are very sick and have to go to the hospital, the doctors will just let you die in orderto recover your organs. I know that isn’t true, and I think those people need to be more educated. I

think if people were more educated, there would be more organ donors.”Lauren, Grade 12Central High SchoolErie, PA

At pilot site high schools, OTDA has found its way into school debates, school newspapers, science fairs, student videos and assem-

bly programs. Pilot schools, such as Selinsgrove Area High School in Selinsgrove, PA and Woodland Hills High School in Pittsburgh, PA,

have implemented OTDA in a multitude of disciplines. For example, Selinsgrove implemented standards: 1.3 Reading, Analyzing, and

Interpreting Literature; 1.4 Types of Writing; 1.5 Quality of Writing; 1.6 Speaking and Listening; and 1.8 Research in areas of health/physi-

cal education, English, science, business/technology, art and a librarian/graduation coordinator project. The teachers implemented the

framework into their curriculum with an integrated approach.

Woodland Hills High School implemented the OTDA Framework in alignment with the following Pennsylvania Science, English, and

Social Studies Standards in its curriculum: 3.2.10-3.2.12 (Apply and evaluate knowledge and understanding the nature of scientific and

technical knowledge.); 3.6.10-3.6.12 (Apply and analyze biotechnologies that relate to propagating, growing, maintaining, adapting, treating

and converting. Apply and analyze knowledge of information technologies of processes of encoding, transmitting, receiving, storing,

retrieving and decoding. Apply and analyze physical technologies of structural design, analysis and engineering, personal relations, finan-

cial affairs, structural production, marketing, research and design to real-world problems.); 3.7.10-3.7.12 (Identify, apply and safely use a

variety of tools, basic machines, materials and techniques to answer complex questions. Apply and evaluate computer operations and

concepts to solve specific problems. Apply and assess the effectiveness of computer communication systems.); 3.8.10-3.8.12 (Analyze,


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• TV entertainment programs

• TV news or newspapers• Advertisements• Driver’s license centers• Some other specific

source• Other

synthesize, and evaluate the interactions and constraints of science and technology on society. Analyze and apply the use of ingenuity

and technological resources to satisfy and solve specific needs and improve the quality of life. Evaluate the consequences and impacts

of scientific and technological solutions.).

Finally, Penn Wood High School incorporated the OTDA Framework into the existing math curriculum. They were able to address:

2.5 Mathematical Problem Solving and Communication––problem-solving strategies, interpreting results; 2.6 Statistics and Data

Analysis––collecting and reporting data (e.g. charts, graphs), analyzing data; and 2.7 Probability and Predictions––testing the validity of

data, calculating probability to make predictions.

Sample lesson plans within the OTDA Toolkit include a variety of academic standards that can be used in numerous disciplines and

within different domain areas within the OTDA Toolkit. For instance, 11.2.9A; 11.2.12K – Family & Consumer Sciences; 1.2.12.A and

1.1.9.E – Reading,Writing, Speaking, and Listening are just a few of the other examples that educators will find in the OTDA Toolkit

sample lesson plans.

The OTDA Framework breaks the content into manageable chunks and provides a meaningful context for reading, writing, speaking,

listening, math, science, health, research, etc. It is one thing for today’s students to learn how to do

research as an academic exercise; it’s quite another for them to learn how to do research

that could, ultimately, result in saving the life of a fellow human being. Learning to do

research helps a student meet Pennsylvania’s Academic Standards and also makes the

world a better place in which to live. Students recognize and respond to this difference

with an enthusiasm that breathes new life into Pennsylvania’s Academic Standards. Organ

and Tissue Donation Awareness Education is education at its very best.

• Factual issues surrounding organ/tissue donation (e.g. how organs are acquired, how they are transplanted, the most frequently transplanted, the amount of time doctors have to make a transplant, how donors are chosen, and the donation/recovery process for living donation). (38%)

• Promote organ and tissue donation. (16%)• Ethical issues related to donation. (14%)• Present both pros and cons of donation and be sensitive to

personal opinions. (13%)• Legal issues surrounding donations (e.g. definition of brain

death and who can make the decision whether or not to donate a deceased person’s organs). (10%)

• Dispel myths and facts related to donation. (7%)• Should take advantage of speakers, such as donor families and

recipients. (2%)

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Selinsgrove Area High School – Selinsgrove, PA

Primary Contact: Jack Cunning

Health/Physical EducationStaff incorporated video, readings, research, discussions, related projects and role-playing simulations into existing units in health and

anatomy classes. The activities addressed the framework components of Biomedical Information and Critical Thinking and Decision-Making Domains.

EnglishStudents wrote articles for the school newspaper and wrote in-class essays, reflective journals, term papers and interviewed

students for their opinions. The activities addressed all four components of the framework.

ScienceUsed OTDA materials to supplement chapters in text on “blood” with projects and presentations on aspects of organ donor

awareness. Addressed framework components of Biomedical Information, Issues and Considerations, and Critical Thinking and Decision-Making Domains.

Business/TechnologyDeveloped a web quest for cross-curriculum application and had students generate pamphlets and other publications used to make

bulletin board displays. Students discussed and researched organ and tissue donation in Today’s Law class. All four areas of the frame-work were addressed.

ArtWanted to sponsor a poster contest for interested art students but did not have time this year. Art teacher will implement this next

year.

Librarian/Graduation Project CoordinatorManaged materials in media center and encouraged use of organ donor topics for graduation projects by using the topic as a the

basis for student research. Framework components addressed included all four areas.

The teachers implementing the framework into their curriculum did so using an integrated approach. The framework was linked tostate standards and was used as a vehicle to achieve those standards. The standards addressed were:

1.3 Reading, Analyzing and Interpreting Literature1.4 Types of Writing1.5 Quality of Writing1.6 Speaking and Listening1.8 Research

Through integration, the framework became a living document and allowed multiple methods of application into the curriculum. Thiswill help ensure the continuation of the framework in future years as comparedto an “add on” which is done at the expense of the required curriculum andusually only last one time. This approach will also encourage other faculty tobegin using the framework in their classrooms.

This year, approximately 300 students out of 900 were impacted bythe framework. The implementation into the graduation project classwill ensure that all 9th and 10th grade students are exposed to theframework.

The OTDA grant and framework provided an excellent oppor-tunity to integrate a real-world issue into the classroom. Theteachers readily accepted the framework and implemented itinto their existing curriculum. The ideas and activities devel-oped by the teachers were extremely well received by thestudents, and this was evidenced by the quality of the prod-ucts the student’s generated and the enthusiasm demon-strated throughout the activities.

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• Deliberately letting donors die to obtain their organs.

• Removing organs too soon.• Are organs allocated unfairly?

• Organs taken without donor family’s consent?• Will my family get sued?

• It is against some people’s religions.• What is in it for me?

Woodland Hills High School – Pittsburgh, PA

Primary Contact: Jo Smerdel

Woodland Hills High School (WHHS) has been actively involved with the completion of the requirements for the grant, “The Facesof Organ Transplantation.” This grant is a cross-curriculum effort, including many teachers in a variety of disciplines.

These areas are:1. Health and Physical Education Department - 450 students, 10-12th grades (mainly 11th).

First and second semester’s health classes took part in the specific curriculum with all health classes participating in the discussion with Ms. Kearns, the guest speaker from CORE, both first and second semesters.

2. Medquest Seminar - 55 students, 10-12th grade3. Future Problem Solving Workshop - 25 students, 10-12th grade4. Television Studio Class - 20 students, 11-12th grade5. Student Leadership Class - 19 students, 12th grade6. Graphic Design Class/Graffiti Class - 15 students, 10-12th grade

The main goals for this grant were to have students:1. Continue and expand the curriculum for health and medquest classes.2. Continue and expand the donor awareness drive at our school.3. Continue and expand the informational booths at the driver’s licensing bureaus.4. Visit local hospitals and transplantation centers to interview individuals in all areas of transplantation.5. Listen to guest speakers on organ donation.6. Listen to guest speakers on new procedures in research on organ transplantation.7. Produce a tri-fold depicting the many roles necessary for organ donation and transplantation to take place.8. Update web page and add new pictures and information for free brochure.9. Design a plan for Future Problem Solving Competition, which would involve the future of organ donation. (Newly added goal.)

Over 400 students participated in the curriculum project with the health and physical education teachers totally completing theirportion of the grant. Using the curriculum developed last year and included with this packet, the teachers were able to use the curricu-lum for both semesters this year, reaching twice the students as last year. All Medquest students participated. Some teachers embel-lished the curriculum with their own ideas. Folders were developed which included materials from: www.CORE.org,www.organdonor.gov/myth.html, and Life Science published by Merrill. A crossword puzzle, worksheet and word scramble weredesigned. The curriculum fits most areas under the OTDA Curriculum Framework, “Biomedical Information,” such as “Organ TissueDonation and Transplantation Process” and “OTDA Facts and Fictions.” Some other sections touched on were, “The Role of OrganProcurement Organizations and Tissue Banks,” “Medical Resources,” and “Asking the Right Questions.”

Following Pennsylvania Science, English and Social Studies Standards, the standards addressed in this curriculum, as well as the entireprogram, are as follows:

Science

3.2.10 - 3.2.12• Apply and evaluate knowledge and understand the nature of scientific and technical knowledge.

3.6.10 - 3.6.12• Apply and analyze biotechnologies that relate to propagating, growing, maintaining, adapting, treating and converting.• Apply and analyze knowledge of information technologies of processes of encoding, transmitting, receiving, storing,

retrieving, and decoding.

29

• Apply and analyze physical technologies of structural design, analysis and engineering, personal relations, financial affairs, structural production, marketing and research and design to real-world problems.

3.7.10 - 3.7.12• Identify, apply and safely use a variety of tools, basic machines, materials and techniques to answer complex questions.• Apply and evaluate computer operations and concepts to solve specific problems.• Apply and assess the effectiveness of computer communication systems.

3.8.10 - 3.8.12• Analyze, synthesize and evaluate the interactions and constraints of science and technology on society.• Analyze and apply the use of ingenuity and technological resources to satisfy and solve specific needs and improve the

quality of life.• Evaluate the consequences and impacts of scientific and technological solutions.

Students in the Medquest and student leadership classes designed posters and stand-up signs to promote organ donation for DonorAwareness Week in WHHS cafeteria.

Students set up and manned displays during all four lunch periods for a full five-day week. Donor registration forms were distributedto interested students not already donors. The VCR tape from last year was shown continuously, along with one of the completedinfomercials. The most common reason students received for not having signed up for becoming an organ donor was “the plug wouldbe pulled too soon” if they were marked as donors. The students did what they could to dissolve the myth. Many students also saidthat their parents would not let them become donors, but did express an interest when they were old enough to sign for themselves.The students were hopeful for the future, but a little discouraged about the present. I reminded them that our purpose was to makepeople aware of organ donation. Even if we get people to begin thinking positively about donation, we have begun to make good in-roads.

Informational booths were also set up and staffed by students from Medquest and student leadership classes at two localDepartments of Motor Vehicles. They were opened for two and a half hours, for three days at each of the two different locations. Thestudents designed an interview sheet. All students involved were given two class periods of interview training and role-playing on howto greet the general public. Interviews were conducted with 350 driver’s license applicants. WHHS students received quite an “educa-tion.” Out of the people interviewed, only 131 were registered organ donors. Of the 219 non-donors, many “reasons” were unexpected.Some reasons for non-donors were:

• Personal • Want all their parts • “Works in a hospital”• Want their bodies whole • Religious • “Long story”• Want to go to grave same • “Just don’t want to” • No interest

way they came • “Cause I ain’t” • Substance abuse

Sixty-four Medquest, Student Leadership students and Future Problem-Solving students visited CORE headquarters in four, individu-alized tours. Fifteen Medquest students went to the University of Pittsburgh and viewed cadaver dissections and worked with medicalstudents. Twenty students from Medquest met with researchers at Pitt and discussed the latest inroads in organ preservation and newdrugs. Forty students met with biomedical engineers to view new research in artificial organs as a “bridge to transplant.” All of thesetours helped in reaching the OTDA Curriculum Framework area under “Biomedical Information” and “Issues and Considerations,” and“Working with Community Resources.” Most of the pictures for their brochures were taken on these trips.

Ms. Debbie Kearns from CORE was a valuable part of our visiting speaker program concerning organ donation. She spoke for eightperiods in health classes for the first semester and for nine consecutive periods in health classes for the second semester. She is a real


trooper. She handled a variety of students from all backgrounds extremely well. She reached approximately 450 students this year. Ina classroom setting, sometimes with students sitting on floors and windowsills, Debbie withstood the barrage of the usual myths andmisgivings and did an excellent job as usual. The program could not run without her help.

All students at WHHS were invited to listen to guest speakers on new procedures on organ transplantation.All speakers were associated with University of Pittsburgh research in some aspect. They were:

• Joie Marhefka, Phillip Marascalco, Ph.D. Biomedical Researchers, University of Pittsburgh• Mr. Frank McSteen, Director of Surgical Research• Rob Svitek, Ph.D. Biomedical Engineering, University of Pittsburgh

At least 20 students from a variety of classes attended each of these voluntary sessions. All speakers donated their time. Thesespeakers are included in the brochure.

Please visit the updated organ donation website on the school’s web page at www.whsd.k12.pa.us/wh/gifted/organdon/index.htm.Students designed and developed this website. The page is linked to the gifted web page. The curriculum, video and tri-fold brochureare available free on the site. There is a short summary of their grant with references available. There are also links provided for fur-ther information.

Unknown to WHHS at the start of their grant, this year the Future Problem Solving Competition, sponsored by IU 3, concerned afuturistic transplantation problem:

Problem - Year 2027An herbal supplement is introduced which reduced requirements for sleep, but increased creativity. Several years later, it is found to

have caused small intestine failure. The supplement is outlawed, but people still are using the drug on the black market. These peopleare still receiving small intestine transplants. This is draining the availability of the organs for other recipients. Understandably, this isupsetting the people waiting on the transplant list. What should be done to eliminate this problem? Should the people still taking thisdrug have the transplant?

Two teams of four students competed to solve the problem against 20 other schools. WHHS won first place in “Presentation” andsecond in overall “Solution.” The students took part in all the organ donation activities, such as attending speaker presentations and theCORE trip. The students involved in this project are not normally the science-orientated student, but just by coincidence, the topic thisyear was related to their grant, and these students were very much impressed. Several became some of our greatest advocates andworked very hard on their tri-fold brochure.

31


The Organ and TissueDonation AwarenessCurriculum Framework

Section 5

The Organ and TissueDonation AwarenessCurriculum Framework

Section 5


Introduction to the Curriculum Framework

Pennsylvania Department ofEDUCATION

For more extensive descriptions of each domain and related topic indicators, see specific domain sections. Also, in each specificdomain section, you will find various lesson plans that have been developed by OTDA pilot sites. For consistency, we have not identi-fied the actual pilot site that developed the assignment as it could not be done in all cases. Basic reformatting and editing for consistencywas done but otherwise the lesson plans remain the same as when they were originally submitted. Several lesson plans have beenduplicated because they are particularly interdisciplinary. We believe that, with minor adjustments, almost all of the included lessonplans could be adapted to cross-curricular content. Further information and lesson plans are available on the OTDA website athttps://www.iu13.org/aded_otda_curriculum.shtml.

The purpose of the OTDA Curriculum Framework is to aid the implementation of OTDA into high school curricula throughoutPennsylvania so that secondary education students can make informed decisions about organ and tissue donation. The framework pro-vides an organizational structure around which instruction can be planned. The OTDA Curriculum Framework assists educators indetermining ways to incorporate a critical topic into existing curricula in a way that addresses the individual needs of their students andcommunity.

The OTDA Curriculum Framework was developed with a number of assumptions and beliefs. First and foremost, the curriculumhas been designed to organize the knowledge and skills secondary students will need to make an informed decision related to organand tissue donation. It does not presuppose a “correct” decision. The Curriculum Framework is learner-centered and based on currentresearch. The Curriculum Framework also is a living document that will evolve with the research base and expand. The framework ismultidisciplinary in nature and aligns with Pennsylvania’s K-12 Academic Standards.

The Curriculum Framework has been organized into five content domains. The content domains are knowledge and skill clustersthat contain multiple topics related to OTDA. The five content areas are:

• Human Experience and Discovery• Biomedical Information• Issues and Considerations• Working with Community Resources• Critical Thinking and Decision-Making

Each content domain includes several topic indicators. These topic indicators provide the teacher with sub-content within the largerdomain. The aim is that the content domains can be taught in multiple and flexible ways and that the topic indicators enable teachersto take any of numerous routes to the overarching topic. By breaking down the content domain areas into smaller, more manageabletopics, we were able to make discreet connections between all of the various components of an entire domain. There is, by no means,a right way or a wrong way to teach about organ and tissue donation. Once all of the facts and myths are established, there can betremendous freedom and creativity with how instruction and learning occur. The topic indicators are ideas for areas of teaching thatyou may not have thought of or may not have thought to combine into one lesson.

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• How the transplant process works.• What happens if an organ is bad or is rejected.• Talking with actual recipients or donors.• Are there health restrictions on being a donor.• Risks to the donor.• How the waiting list works.• Does your family benefit if you’re a donor.• Are there age restrictions on being a donor.• Who the recipients are.• How to become a donor.• Importance of organ/tissue donation.• That organs are not removed before death.• Body’s appearance after donating.• Living donation.• Interest in learning more about subject in general.

Organ Tissue Donation Awareness Education Curriculum Framework

The Five Domains:1. Human Experience and Discovery2. Biomedical Information 3. Issues and Considerations 4. Critical Thinking and Decision-Making 5.Working with Community Resources

Audience The primary audience for the OTDA Curriculum Framework is secondary education teachers and curriculum coordinators.

Because this material lends itself to various disciplines and contexts, it is helpful to have a road map to guide teaching and learning relat-ed to organ and tissue donation. It is the intent of this project to offer secondary teachers a content road map that will be specificenough to guide instruction, but also be flexible enough to allow multidisciplinary content implementation.

Other audiences for this framework might include school administrators, community organizations and families. The flexible structureof the framework allows users the opportunity to focus not only on topics pertinent to a particular subject area, but also to addressissues most important to the primary receivers––the students.

PurposeThe purpose of the OTDA Curriculum Framework is to aid the implementation of OTDA into high school curricula throughout

Pennsylvania, so that secondary students can make informed decisions about organ and tissue donation. The framework provides anorganizational structure around which instruction can be planned. Additionally, it has been linked to Pennsylvania's Academic Standards.Our website (https://www.iu13.org/aded_otda_main.shtml) contains multiple glossaries, activity banks and resources linked to eachdomain. The OTDA Curriculum Framework assists educators in determining ways to incorporate a critical topic into existing curriculain a way that addresses the individual needs of their students and community.

Assumptions and BeliefsThis curriculum is based on a number of assumptions and beliefs that should be made explicit.

1. First and foremost, this curriculum framework has been designed to organize the knowledge and skills secondary students will need to make an informed decision related to organ and tissue donation. It does not presuppose a "correct" decision, but rather focuses on helping learners understand the facts of organ and tissue donation, explore the complexity of the issue, and acquire the decision-making skills they will need for this critical life decision.

2. This curriculum framework is learner-centered and based on current research. Information gleaned from student focus groups and teacher surveys has been instrumental in determining the structure and key components of this framework.

3. This curriculum framework is a living document that will evolve with the research base and expand dramatically as more and more secondary teachers begin to work with this material.

4. This curriculum framework is multidisciplinary in nature. While some academic disciplines may have a more obvious connection with the framework than others, it is our belief that the richness of this material lends itself to implementation across multiple academic disciplines.

5. Alignment of this curriculum framework with Pennsylvania's K-12 Academic Standards will have a significant impact on the implementation of this curriculum framework in Pennsylvania's secondary schools.


37

Framework Rationale and StructureThis curriculum framework has been organized into five content domains. The content domains are knowledge and skill clusters that

contain multiple topics related to OTDA. As stated previously, the five content areas are:

• Human Experience and Discovery• Biomedical Information• Issues and Considerations• Critical Thinking and Decision-Making• Working with Community Resources

Each content domain contains topic indicators for classroom exploration and research. Lesson Plans, a Crosswalk to PennsylvaniaAcademic Standards, a Glossary of Terms and Relevant Resources have been developed with input and suggestions from the statewidepilot sites.The content and supplementary materials for the framework will continue to evolve as additional schools become involvedwith the project. These resources are available on both the website and in the toolkit.

The Human Experience and Discovery Domain is located at the heart of the curriculum framework. All facets of organ and tissuedonation occur within the context of human experience, and it is the richness of human experience that brings meaning to each of theother content domains. For example, biomedical information is but a collection of facts unless it is presented within the context of anindividual human life. The goal of the Human Experience and Discovery Domain is to provide authentic experiences and stories thatwill allow learners to explore the impact that organ and tissue donation has on the lives of donors, recipients, medical professionals,family and community members.

The Biomedical Information Domain encompasses all of the knowledge associated with the anatomy and physiology of organ andtissue donation, the organ and tissue donation and transplantation process, and facts and fictions associated with OTDA. This domain,more than any other, offers secondary students the facts they will need for informed decision-making.

The Issues and Considerations Domain provides an opportunity for learners to explore issues related to organ and tissue donation,such as the demographics of organ and tissue donation (who, what, when, where), global perspectives on organ and tissue donation(what's going on around the world), social responsibility and advocacy, legal and political considerations, and medical ethics. Unlike theBiomedical Information Domain, the intent of this domain is to generate questions for meaningful discussion rather than provide base-line facts.

The Critical Thinking and Decision-Making Domain encompasses the critical thinking and decision-making skills that are necessary forsecondary students to make an informed decision related to organ and tissue donation. This content domain includes involving theright people, asking the right questions, collecting and analyzing relevant information, making and communicating decisions, and revisitingpast decisions.

The Working with Community Resources Domain clusters information related to accessing the many organ and tissue donationcommunity resources available to individuals and families. In order for life-long learning to occur, students need to be able to identifyresources that facilitate and support OTDA education and services. OTDA education is more than an academic content area; it is alife-long discovery.


The Five Domains

Section 6The Five Domains

Section 6


The Human Experienceand Discovery DomainThe Human Experienceand Discovery Domain

The Human Experience and Discovery Domain

A Real-Life Story

Shortly after Audacious Douglas was born, her parents began a roller-coaster ride of emotions as they faced their

daughter’s unpredictable health prognosis. The two-year journey of highs and lows ended when Audacious received a

successful liver transplant at two and a half years old—thanks to a generous donor who gave the toddler the gift of life.

Audacious’ mother, Jessica, first noticed there was a problem with her daughter when she appeared jaundiced. A

pediatrician confirmed the new mother’s suspicions during the infant’s first visit to her doctor. As doctors performed

tests on the seven-week-old baby, her mother, Jessica, received a clue that her Audacious’ symptoms were revealing a

severe health problem. “I kept a watchful eye on the X-ray technician taking pictures of Audacious’ abdomen. As I

watched the technician, I saw her wince. I knew then that something was wrong internally,” Jessica explained. The x-rays

revealed that the child’s stomach and liver were transposed. Her liver laid across the front of her abdomen and her

stomach on the side. Her appendix was on the left and her intestines were twisted. The X-ray also showed that the

infant had multiple spleens. In October 1998, at the age of two months, doctors determined that Audacious suffered

from biliary atresia, a disease that blocks the bile ducts and prevents the liver from functioning properly. Doctors

attempted to correct the problem with a surgical procedure and, at the same time, untwisted her intestines and

removed her gall bladder, appendix and scarred bile ducts. However, after surgery, the bile ducts in Audacious’ liver still

did not function properly and doctors determined that Audacious would need a liver transplant.

Soon after learning the news, the Douglases visited a transplant center where Audacious was evaluated. In January

1999, at the age of five months, she was placed on the liver transplant waiting list. Her parents’ hope soared as they

learned that their daughter could go on to live a normal life through transplantation. “We saw all of these kids who had

had transplants in the waiting room. They were running around full of life. We knew that all Audacious needed to be

well again was a transplant.”

The Douglases would refer back to that moment of hope in the coming months as time lapsed and they waited for a

donated liver to become available. As she waited for her transplant, Audacious faced downfalls, such as internal bleeding

that led to the need for numerous blood transfusions. As news of Audacious’ story traveled to family, friends and co-

workers, the Douglases received an outpouring of support. In fact, Audacious’ aunt, Annette, volunteered to be tested

to determine if she could donate a portion of her liver to the child. However, in September 2000, the family’s hope of

transplantation came crashing down when tests revealed that she could not be a living donor candidate.

Months later, on April 11, 2001, the Douglases phone rang with the news they were waiting for—a liver was available.

“After two years, we were finally getting a call! I couldn’t believe it when I heard the news. Our wait was finally over.

My baby was getting a new liver,” Jessica said. The shock of the good news soon mixed with an upsetting reality. As doc-

tors and nurses prepped Audacious for surgery, the Douglases learned that the new liver came from another three-year-

old girl. “Since the transplant, I keep thinking about how fortunate we are. The parents of this donor thought to give

the gift of life during such a time of grief. I often think of how the roles could have been reversed. It could have been

my child who was donating,” Jessica commented.

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Since her transplant on April 12, 2001, Audacious has lived a life much like that of other three-year-olds despite daily medication and

regular monitoring of her blood pressure and temperature. She loves to see movies, play at the park, and eat at Chuck E. Cheese’s.

Grateful for the generous gift their family has been given, Jessica Douglas and her husband, Horace, expressed their heartfelt thanks to

all donor families at a “Thanks for Giving the Gift of Life” ceremony in Wilmington, Delaware. “Our donor family didn’t have to donate

and Audacious could still be waiting. Instead, they chose to give the gift of life and saved my daughter’s life in the process,” Horace

shared.

Story contributed by: The Gift of Life Donor Program

43

Introduction to Human Experience and Discovery Domain

The Human Experience and Discovery Domain is located at the heart of the curriculum framework. All facets of organ and tissue

donation occur within the context of human experience and it is the richness of human experience that brings meaning to each

of the other content domains. For example, biomedical information is but a collection of facts unless it is presented with-

in the context of an individual human life.

Pilot schools, such as Woodland Hills High School in Pittsburgh, PA made use of guest speakers to illustrate

certain topics within particular domains. Woodland Hills brought in Debbie Kearns from CORE (Center for

Organ Recovery and Education) as part of their visiting speaker program concerning organ donation. Ms.

Kearns spoke to 17 periods of health classes during the first and second semesters during the 2000-01

school year. During her presentations, she addressed many student myths concerning the human experi-

ence in organ and tissue donation.

Lehigh Career and Technical Institute in Schnecksville successfully demonstrated that the OTDA

Framework could carry out many activities, including those that can add value to the community that falls

within the Human Experience and Discovery Domain. Two students won a local Community Awareness

competition in February 2002 and moved on to SKILLS USA/VISA State Competition in April 2002. Students

presented a PowerPoint presentation, along with presenting a scrapbook of their activities. On April 19, 2002, the

students placed 3rd at the Pennsylvania SKILLS USA/VISA competition.

The goal of the Human Experience and Discovery Domain is to provide authentic experiences and stories that will allow learners

to explore the impact that organ and tissue donation has on the lives of donors, recipients, medical professionals, family and community

members.

TThhiiss iiss HHooww iittTToouucchheess YYoouurr LLiiffee::

55% of teacher/respondentsindicated that they personallyknow someone who hasreceived or donated an organor tissue. When asked who thatperson was:

• 81% indicated the recipient/donor was a friend or acquaintance.

• 19% indicated it was a close relative.

• 7% had multiple answers to that question.

• 5% indicated that they themselves were the recipient/donor.


Sample Lesson Plan One

Organ and Tissue Donation Technology Assignment

Lesson Objectives

1. During the activity, students will show Internet researching skills by identifying two websites visited. They must print out information discussing a selected topic dealing with organ and tissue donation, using a given form that shows website and research information.

2. Upon completion, students will display knowledge of a given topic related to organ and tissue donation by creating a PowerPoint presentation containing at least ten slides using concise information paraphrased from Internet research.

3. Upon completion, students will show good organizational skills, correct grammar and spelling, and good sentence structure in a PowerPoint presentation that contains at least ten slides.

4. Upon completion, students will exhibit expertise on their selected topic for organ and tissue donation by presenting their PowerPoint presentation to peers and receiving at least 35 out of 50 points on the evaluation rubric.

Standards MatchPennsylvania Academic Standards for :Reading,Writing, Speaking and Listening

1.1.11.A 1.1.11.D 1.2.11.B 1.5.11.B

Family and Consumer Sciences

11.2.12.A 11.2.12.B 11.2.12.E 11.2.12.G

Activity1. Students will be given a pretest on organ and tissue donation.2. Students will research topics relating to organ and tissue donation on at least two Internet sites on their particular topic.3. Students will create a PowerPoint presentation on their selected topic relating to organ and tissue donation.4. Students will present PowerPoint to classmates.5. Students will complete post-test to measure learning.

Assessment1. Pre/Post-test2. PowerPoint Teacher rubric3. PowerPoint Student Rubric – students can evaluate each other’s presentations

Materials NeededMost materials needed for this lesson plan are included here:1. Copies of Pre- and Post-tests2. Computer lab3. Directions for PowerPoint and scoring rubrics4. Worksheet with student directions

Time RequiredSeveral weeks of research and preparation. Presentation time dependent on number and allotted length per each presentation.

45

What Do You Know About Organ And Tissue Donation?

Pre-Test Name _______________________________ Date _________________

1. How do you become an organ donor?

2. What organs can be used for donation?

3. How are donors and recipients matched?

4. Are there health requirements to become a donor?

5. Have you ever read anything about organ and tissue donation?

6. If you are an organ donor, do you think your organs can be used for transplant?

7. Do you think if you smoke or drink you can become an organ donor?

8. How is organ tissue donation done in other countries?

9. What happens during a transplant?

10. How long can organs be kept for transplant?

11. What does CORE mean?

12. If you are not designated as an organ donor, can your family override your wishes?

13. If your family does not want you to donate your organs, can you still be a donor?

14. Does this topic scare you?

15. Why is it important to understand organ and tissue donation?

Directions for Student Activity

Name _______________________________ Date _________________

Instructions

1. Select one of the topics listed and highlight the one selected:

• Living donor issue – example kidney donation• Definition of tissue and organ – differences between the two• Types of organs that can be donated• Types of tissues that can be donated and how they are used• Role of the donor and the donor’s family in giving consent for donation• Major benefits of organ and tissue donation• Definition of brain dead• How organized religions view donation• How the transplantation process works• Do doctors let donors die to obtain organs• The role money, social status, prestige, race and age plays in the allocation process• Myths and legends surrounding organ donation

2. Research the topic on the Internet and come up with at least two sources for the information. List two of them here:

A.

B.

3. Select information that can be presented in concise form for a PowerPoint presentation. You will be creating a 10-slide show.

The first will be the title of the presentation and the last will be the conclusion. The eight content slides should contain

information that will explain your topic thoroughly and get your ideas out in an interesting presentation. Text and graphics

may be used to aid in creating an interesting presentation. The slides have limited area for text, so use text that is right to the

point. Select important points to emphasize. The audience of the presentation is your fellow classmates. Save your presentation

to your disk.

4. You will show your presentation to the class. Remember, your presentation should not need any verbalization; the slide show

should get your point across.

5. Grading will be done by the attached rubric.

Scoring Rubric for PowerPoint Presentation (for students)

Rate each of the following items using the scale below:

5 = Excellent 4 = Good 3 = Fair 2 = Poor 1 = Redo

Points Received

1. Presentation has at least ten slides

2. Student’s picture on the title page with

an interesting and creative title.

3. The slide show was interesting to watch.

4. The slide show presented concise information,

allowing the observer to get the point.

5. Enough information was presented to make observer

become interested.

6. There was appropriate color, graphics and background

to make it easy to watch.

7. Transitions from one slide to another were interesting.

8. The text was educationally acceptable.

9. There was no unnecessary information.

10. I enjoyed and learned something from the presentation.

Total Points:

Scoring Rubric for PowerPoint Presentation (for teachers)

Points Available

Presentation includes a minimum of ten slides 10

Presentation appeals to the audience and 10

uses a variety of layouts, is visually neat, and

incorporates subject matter.

Each slide uses text and/or graphics and 50

transitions that communicate and

complement content information.

All text contains correct punctuation 30

with no spelling errors.

All slides reflect subject content and 30

build on information as they proceed.

Information present shows proof 30

of understanding ideas with emphasis

on the most important points.

Design shows creativity, use of color 30

and special effects.

Last slide shows a concluding statement, 20

drawing material together.

Knowledge of the use of PowerPoint 10

was apparent in the show.

Presentation was interesting and enjoyable. 10

Total Points: 230

What do You Know About Organ and Tissue Donation?

Post-Test Name _______________________________ Date _________________

1. How do you become an organ donor?

2. What organs can be used for donation?

3. How are donors and recipients matched?

4. Are there health requirements to become a donor?

5. Have you ever read anything about organ and tissue donation?

6. If you are an organ donor, do you think your organs can be used for transplant?

7. Do you think if you smoke or drink you can become an organ donor?

8. How is organ tissue donation done in other countries?

9. What happens during a transplant?

10. How long can organs be kept for transplant?

11. What does CORE mean?

12. If you are not designated as an organ donor, can your family override your wishes?

13. If your family does not want you to donate your organs, can you still be a donor?

14. Does this topic scare you?

15. Why is it important to understand organ and tissue donation?

Sample Lesson Plan Two

This lesson plan strives to reinforce the students’ learned skills, promote thinking skills and to encourage cooperation through team-work. Students will apply practical reasoning skills. Students will discuss the pros and cons of being an organ donor. Students will alsoidentify the organs and tissues that can be donated and recognize the truths and myths of organ donation. Assessment will focus on lis-tening skills, class participation, written answers, reading, vocabulary, observation, discussion and a quiz.

Organ and Tissue Donation Unit ActivitiesObjectives1. During completion of this activity, students will apply practical reasoning skills.2. During completion of this activity, students will discuss the pros and cons of being an organ donor.3. Upon completion of this activity, students will identify the organs and tissues that can be donated.4. Upon completion of this activity, students will recognize the "Truths and Myths" of organ donation.

Standards MatchPennsylvania Academic Standards Match for :Standards for Family and Consumer Sciences

11.2.9A 11.2.12K

Activity1. Students will hear a guest speaker from an OPO discuss “Truths and Myths” of donation2. Students will complete worksheet – Guest Speaker Summary3. Review Relay – Truth or Myth4. Real-Life Stories – Read and Discuss5.Word Search – Organ and Tissue Donation (vocabulary review)6. Group Discussion7. Quiz

Assessment

listening skills, class participation, written answers, reading, vocabulary, observation, discussion and a quiz

Materials Needed1. Guest Speaker Summary Worksheet2. Real-life Story – “Tom’s Story” (Example included here, but any example will work.)3. Organ and Tissue Donation Word Search4. Organ Donation Quiz 5.Truth or Myth Cards6. Discussion Questions

Time Needed2-3 days or longer if desired

InstructionsThe following are all worksheets you will need and the Real-Life Story – “Tom’s Story.” Here is the instruction sequence for this unit:1. Have a guest speaker come to the class to discuss his or her experience with donation. Students will then fill out the guest

speaker summary to check and reinforce learning.2. Students will then read and discuss “Tom’s Story” or another Real-Life Story.3. Students will complete the organ and tissue donation quiz.4.When each student has completed the quiz, the whole class plays the Truth or Myth relay game.5. Complete the Discussion Questions as a wrap-up activity.6.The Word Search is a sponge activity for homework or when students have extra time.

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Guest Speaker Summary

Name _______________________________ Date _________________

Name and position of speaker:

In complete sentences, state five or more main points of information presented by the speaker.

I agree with

I disagree with

I was surprised that

I would rate this speaker:

Very Good Good Fair Okay Poor

5 4 3 2 1

Comment(s):

Tom’s Story

By Ilene White

One of my favorite singers is Barbra Streisand, and there is a song from her CD, Higher Ground, called “Lessons to be Learned.” The

song contains the line, “Why did the right road take the wrong turn?” I have often thought of that line when I think back to the past

several years in my life, which have led to my involvement with organ donation. Up until my husband Tom’s sudden illness, in

September 1994, I thought our road, our journey, was taking all the right turns. We both loved what we were doing. I was a fourth

grade teacher at Abington Heights School District. Tom had completed an associate’s degree at Keystone Junior College, graduating as

their Outstanding Weekender Student four months earlier. He had quit his full-time job and was enrolled at the University of Scranton

in their secondary education department. We were blessed with two wonderful children and had many plans for the future. When he

became suddenly ill with a ruptured cerebral aneurysm, this “right road” began to lose its clear road signs and markings. During those

days when Tom was hospitalized, my children, Matthew and Rachel, and I traveled along without any knowledge of the scenery sur-

rounding us. It seemed not only that the “right road” had taken the wrong turn, but that it had disappeared off the map, at least the

map we had planned.

Those who knew Tom knew he was always willing to help others in any way. He had been an active Lions Club member in our

community, had coached the kids’ soccer teams, and was a regular at Red Cross blood drives. Through his involvement with the Lions

Club Eye Banks, we had, on occasion, alluded to organ donation. We both were “card carrying” universal donors since the ‘80s. But at

age 42, I never thought I would be facing that decision. When the doctors explained the severity of Tom’s condition to me, my children

and I knew it was our wish to donate as much as possible to provide the opportunity for a better life for as many individuals as possi-

ble. Tom had always been in good health, and it was gratifying to know that his heart, liver, kidneys, and corneas could be used for

transplantation. When I left the hospital on September 30th, five years ago, I knew in my heart that we had carried out Tom’s wishes

and have never looked back.

Organ donation has helped me to see that the “right road” did not take the “wrong turn.” It just took a turn we had not expected.

The right road is still continuing for us and for all donor families. And this road has provided a renewal of life for those transplant recip-

ients who are able to live better lives or have received the gift of life for a second chance.

Over a year ago, I had the incredible opportunity to meet the recipient of Tom’s liver, Scott Mato, Danvillle Middle School Principal.

He, his wife Shelly, and their three wonderful children have become good friends, and we keep in touch often. Coincidentally,Tom was

studying to be a secondary social studies teacher, a job which Scott left to become principal. Our families share a bond which goes

beyond words.

Since Tom’s death, I have become an outspoken advocate of organ tissue and donation. I am currently the chairperson of the local

regional Coalition on Donation in Northeastern Pennsylvania. I am serving on the Board of Directors of the Gift of Life Donor

Program. I take every occasion possible to encourage families to sit down together, discuss organ donation, and make the important

decision before a tragedy strikes. I have seen firsthand how the end of one life can be the beginning of renewed life for others. In the

intervening five years since Tom’s death, I often spend time reading and reflecting on the importance of living life for today and making

better lives for those around me. One passage from the Reform Judaism prayer book (“Gates of Prayer”) stands out and provides

meaning for me. This passage states, “...to sustain a single human soul is equivalent to sustaining an entire world.” With the decision to

become an organ donor, an individual is truly giving the greatest gift.

53

Quiz - Organ Donation

Name _______________________________ Date _________________

1. What does OPO stand for?

2. List five organs that can be used in transplants.1. __________________________2. __________________________3. __________________________4. __________________________5. __________________________

3. List three tissues that can be used in a transplant.1. __________________________2. __________________________3. __________________________

4. How many recipients die every 24 hours waiting for organs?

5. A person must be in a hospital on a ventilator and be declared brain dead before organs can be recovered. Explain the process (tests), done to determine if a patient is brain dead.

6. When someone's heart stops instantly, or the individual dies outside the hospital setting, can an individual still donate? If so, what?

7. How long does a recipient have to take anti-rejection medicine?

8. Two organs can be donated from a live donor. What are they?1. __________________________2. __________________________

9. With one donor, how many people can be saved? _______ Be helped? _______

10. What is the organ in greatest demand?

11. If three recipients all have one month to live, and are equally sick, how is the tie broken?

12. Will the family be charged for organ donation?

Truth or Myth Activity

Objectives

1. By completion of this activity, students will have learned skills reinforced.

2. By completion of this activity, students will improve critical thinking skills.

3. By completion of this activity, students will increase cooperation through teamwork.

Materials

1. Two sets of "truth" and "myth" cards

2. A whistle or some other type of quiet signal

ProcedureDivide the class into two equal teams. Have each team place its chairs so that each team member will sit one behind the other, facing the direction of the teacher. Explain the rules and the game procedure.

Game Procedure1. The last person on each team receives two cards: one that says "truth" and another that says "myth." The teacher reads a state-

ment about organ and tissue donation. If the statement is a "truth," then the "truth" card is passed all the way to the front of the team. If the statement is a "myth," then the "myth" card is passed forward.

2. When the card reaches the front of the team, that person stands and announces the answer. If the answer is correct, the team is awarded one point.

3. If the answer that is given is incorrect, the other team has a chance to give a correct response. If the person can give an accuratereason why the answer is incorrect, that team receives the point for his/her team.

4. Once points have been awarded, all players move one seat forward. The first person goes to the end of the team. Play then continues in the same manner.

Game Rules1. When passing the "truth" or "myth" card forward, no team member can be skipped.2. If a teammate feels the wrong card has been passed forward, (s)he may pass the card backwards to receive the other

response.3. When the whistle (or other quiet signal) is blown, all players must be quiet so that everyone can hear the next statement.4. If a team becomes too rowdy and refuses to follow the game rules, that team will lose points from their score.5. Show good sportsmanship at all times.

DiscussionInclude a few "trick" statements in the game. Talk about why this statement is a "truth" or "myth." Teamwork and any positive or negative behavior observed during the game can also be discussed.

55

56

Discussion Questions (to be used as a wrap-up activity)

1. What have you learned?

2. How did you feel about organ and tissue donation in the beginning?

3. How do you feel about organ and tissue donation now?

4. Have your feelings changed?

5. Have you discussed organ and tissue donation with your parents? If so, what was their reaction?


Word Search – Organ and Tissue Donation

Name ________________________________ Date ____________

Try to find the hidden words:

ARTERIES INTESTINES RECIPIENT

BONE KIDNEY SKIN

CANDIDATE LIGAMENTS STOMACH

CORE LIVER TENDONS

CORNEA LUNGS TISSUE

DONOR ORGANS VALVES

HEART PANCREAS

P E I N T E S T I N E S Y F T W

A D D A R T E R I E S Y W H I A

N V W D C Q O S Z C O R E E S O

C O T H O X H R T C L A U A S V

R R B R R F N D T F K L X R U L

E E S T N E C A N D I D A T E I

A C T V E L I V E R D O N O R G

S I O M A N L D L U N G S K D A

E P M S V K D M B U E F B P E M

E I A W X R W O O F Y F A N H E

E E C U Q S A U N R G Q P F R N

O N H L P R A X E S G F P I Z T

M T P R Q H S A S J V A L V E S

G A W G Y A X S S S K I N G O N

U U E R M S F X E X T Y O S P F

S Q H J L J U N T D H K L R W K

Related Article and Current Research

Domain: Human Experience & DiscoveryTopic Indicators: 1.1 – Donor experiences and stories1.4 – Family, friends, and community experiences and stories

Casey Calls Organ Donation: "Selfless Act of Love."Welcomes Arrival of New Organ and Tissue Donation Awareness Stamp

HARRISBURG (September 22, 1998) -- Auditor General Robert P. Casey, Jr. today joined U.S. Postal Governor LeGree Daniels,Cheryl Eshenour, a donor family member from Hummelstown, and Dwight Johnson, a heart transplant recipient from York, in the unveil-ing of a new 32-cent stamp promoting organ and tissue donor awareness.

Five-and-a-half years ago, Auditor General Casey's father, Governor Robert P. Casey, underwent a very rare, but successful, heart andliver transplant operation. The former Governor, today, is one of the longest-living heart-liver recipients.

"Nothing I could say today, nothing I could write, nothing I could express, could adequately convey the depth of the gratitude thatmy family has for that courageous, selfless, and generous act of kindness that saved my father's life on June 14th, 1993," Casey said."This event is an occasion where the only word I can think of is gratitude."

Former Governor Casey underwent a successful, double-organ transplant after Frances Lucas, the mother of Pittsburgh-area resi-dent Michael Lucas, agreed to donate her son's heart and liver to the Auditor General's father.

Michael Lucas was shot and killed by drug dealers who were looking for stolen goods. The gang of criminals wrongly believed Lucashad what they were looking for and gunned him down on the back steps of his home.

Besides his father's story of courage and gratitude, Auditor General Casey said he was moved by the story of Cheryl Eshenourwho, last year, became an organ donor family member after her 12-year-old son, Jonathan Henry Eshenour, died in a bicycle accident.While initially thinking that organ and tissue donation was "too horrific to try to understand," Mrs. Eshenour said five of Jonathan'sorgans were transplanted into four other people and she said she has "never once regretted that decision."

"I can't even comprehend how difficult that decision must be," Casey said, "not just to live through it, but also of course, today, totalk about it. And I think all the families of Pennsylvania, and many more across the country, appreciate the kind of generosity and thekind of selfless act of love that Cheryl and families like hers have given to others.

"Like Cheryl, the Lucas family of western Pennsylvania shared their life, a life of their son. And I think Cheryl recommits all of us tothat important task. May this day ever be a day of hope and gratitude and may all of remember when we look at that stamp, the kindof sacrifice and the kind of kindness that comes with that very difficult decision," Casey said.

Officials say 11 people die every day waiting for an organ or tissue transplant. The Delaware Valley Transplant Program says donorscan range in age from newborn to 75. People can designate their organs for donation by signing and carrying an organ donor card orby indicating their desire on their drivers' license. One organ and tissue donor can help, or save the lives of as many as 40 transplantrecipients.

"May this day be a day of hope for the future because I think we are finally now on the right track, giving this issue the attentionthat it deserves," Casey said.

From URL: http://www.auditorgen.state.pa.us/department/press/stamp.html


59

Domain-Related Resources

Teacher Tip!

Using OTDA Surveys as a Way to Teach to the Math StandardsOn the following pages you will see two graphs that have been created to demonstrate what a simple survey regarding organ and

tissue donation can do to help teach the Math Standard: 2.6 Statistics and Data Analysis. Students can easily create these graphs with athree-question survey that they develop, distribute, tabulate and analyze. The three questions used here were:

1. Do you support organ and tissue donation? Yes or No (please circle)

2. If no, what is/are your reason(s)? You may check more than one answer.__ religious reasons __ distrust of medical profession __ I want my body “as is” when I die __ other __ don’t know

3. What is your profession or relationship to organ and tissue donation?__ medical doctor __ family member __ friend __ classmate __ teacher __ other

This activity is directed to respondents who do have a relationship to donation. It could easily be adapted to be a survey of thegeneral population. Some other topic ideas for a general survey could be:

• Do you think you might ever need to be concerned about organ and tissue donation?• What do you think about inmates getting organ and tissue transplants?• How do you feel about alcoholics or drug addicts getting organ and tissue donations? • The best topics to survey will be ideas that students generate themselves.


61

Real-Life Stories From the Waiting List

Sandy, on behalf of Jerri who is waiting for a lung transplant.Indiana

I am submitting my story to you for my friend, Jerri, who is in need of a lung transplant. Now what to say about her, I can't say

enough about her as she is one of the most compassionate, exuberant, and personable individuals that I have ever met in all my life.

She is one of the individuals who if you are going through a dark period is an instant god send! Jerri was there when I lost someone

dear to me and she was there when I learned that a transplant may very well had saved him and now I am going to be there for her!

And I hope by my getting her story out that all will learn the importance of organ donations! On a final note I will quote still another

friend of mine who said, "There comes a time in your life when you learn that we are all just here to take care of one another!" Thank

you very much for allowing me to tell Jerri's story.

Allison waited for a heart for 3 1/2 weeks but unfortunately one never came.

Our names are Kayla and Sara. We're writing to tell you our story and hopefully it will touch you in the way we want it to. This

past September one of our close friends passed away. Her name was Allison and she was just 15 years old.

Allison was born with a heart problem––a valve that was too small and she only had a 25% chance of living. She had many surger-

ies, but knew that some day her valve would have to be replaced, but we didn't know that it would be this soon. On August 9, 2002,

Allison went into her eighth surgery. She would be having valve surgery. This time it didn't go OK. Through weeks of problems and

complications, the doctors decided that Allison would need a new heart. Unfortunately the heart never came. Allison had a brain

hemorrhage before she could receive one. Allison passed away on the 12th of September and was taken off life support the next day.

You would never know Allison had a heart problem just by looking at her. She was full of life. No matter where you were she

always had optimistic energy. Even though she had so many unfair things happen to her, she never once complained and was always

appreciative of everything. She brought out the best in everyone. Allison was an amazing person; she was caring, nice, funny, brave,

outgoing, and so much more. She was everything you could want in a friend.

Allison waited for a heart for three and a half weeks, but unfortunately one never came. We found it very sad, shocking, and unac-

ceptable that with her being at the top of the donors list not one person who passed was a donor. Allison was a donor, but unfortu-

nately her organs were not healthy enough. From this experience, we learned that many people are unaware of the importance of

donating their organs.

We want to raise the awareness by telling people our story and encouraging them to become donors.

Cindy, who is waiting for a liver.Illinois

I am a non-practicing registered nurse as I write this. I learned while working on a surgical floor at a small community hospital that I

have Hepatitis C. By the time I was diagnosed, the disease had progressed so much that within a year of finding out I have Hepatitis C,

I was placed on a waiting list for a liver transplant. Professionally speaking, I understood what was happening to me, but I felt like I had

no one who could understand what I was feeling.


As I write this, I have been on a waiting list for a liver transplant for 20 months with a probable additional one to two years of wait-

ing (unless I get sicker faster than that). I had seen "The Kindness of Strangers," produced by the James Redford Institute and posted to

the website. I was contacted by one of the families featured in the documentary, Pete and Laurel Wiley. It has been my blessing to

meet Pete and his daughter, Laurel, and I e-mail several times a week. It has helped to know someone who has been through the wait-

ing period and who is now five years post-transplant and living a full, productive life.

If I could say one thing to people, I would stress that they make their wishes to be an organ donor known to their families before

that situation arises. I think most families would honor their loved one's wishes and it would be easier to do so if they know in

advance.

Thanks for giving me the opportunity to express myself.

Copyright © 2001-2003. The James Redford Institute for Transplant Awareness

Reprinted with permission

63


The BiomedicalInformation DomainThe BiomedicalInformation Domain

The Biomedical Information Domain

A Real-Life Story

Grateful Lung Transplant Recipient Shares His Story

By David Lee, Recipient

I've been given a great gift. I received a bilateral lung transplant on August 4, 2001. The following is my story.

Many transplant patients ask where you were when the call came, and at first I did not really understand why. I now understand thatthe call is a defining moment in your life. My call came at 5:45 a.m. on Saturday, August 4, 2001. That night, I had a premonition thatsomething was going to happen to my lungs—I couldn't say exactly what. Another failure of my old set perhaps?

The whole night I laid waiting and dozing, and then the telephone rang. I picked it up on the second ring. After discussing my readi-ness and the match with the transplant coordinator, I reflected a moment on the fact that for me to be getting this call, someone haddied, so I knew its serious implications. My second thought was of all of the people that have helped me get to this point, and howgrateful I was to survive long enough to get this call. The coordinator gave me instructions, and then I went in to get my wife, Sandy.

I approached her and asked if she was ready to go, assuming the phone had awakened her and she had overheard the conversation.She hadn’t, so when I asked her again, she, in disbelief, said, “No!” Just coming awake, she at first didn’t understand what I was saying.After she realized what was happening, we called a neighbor to watch our four-year-old twin boys and we drove unimpeded to thetransplant hospital, making calls to family along the way. We did have to stop en route, however. In our haste, we left the house withno money and no gasoline!

I received immediate attention when I got to the hospital, and remember overhearing that the new lungs were beautiful as I sankinto sedation. My surgeon, Dr. Alberto Pochettino, chose to remove both of my old lungs at once, the third time ever this techniquewas performed. This process allowed for better visualization to clean out my lung cavity, which was extremely damaged due to my cys-tic fibrosis. It was to be a very difficult surgery to execute; many of the team members have repeated that fact to me now that it isover.

In the beginning, I pretty much lived on Rice Krispies in milk and pudding exclusively. Also, the doctor said that walking was one ofthe best rehabilitations I could do for myself, so they had me out of bed and walking almost right away. I did not sleep well for the firsttwo weeks after surgery, and since I was awake and in pain anyway, I would hobble the corridors. One early morning I found other car-diothoracic surgery insomniacs in their rooms emerging behind me, dragging their IV poles and other carts along with them. I finishedmy walk, and went back in my room, leaving a hallway full of patients and boggled nurses asking, "Why is everybody up?"

On Monday August 20, I was discharged. It was a little more than two weeks after my surgery. One of the first things that I didwhen I got home was empty the house of all of the cystic fibrosis supplies that I no longer needed. I wanted a fresh start, and noreminders of the unpleasant and time-consuming regimen I had to maintain for so long. Now my greatest pleasure is easy breathing,and all of the things that I don't have to do: aerosol treatments, chest therapy, vest machine treatments, IV, and oral antibiotics. Thelung transplant is not a cure; however, they have replaced my symptoms of cystic fibrosis, which would have killed me, with the manage-able symptoms of immunosuppression.

I now have time to do the things that I really enjoy—sleep when I want to and spend time with my family. A milestone at homethree weeks after surgery was when I was able to read The Cat in the Hat aloud to my boys all the way through, without quitting forlack of air or energy, or being interrupted by a coughing fit! It is like a dream to finally be able to breathe unrestricted. My hands arepink and rosy, my eyes look clear, and I don't have that "ashen" look I had before. My life and the lives of those around me are foreverchanged.



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• How do you become a donor?• Can you be a live donor?• How does the waiting list work?• How do they find a compatible donor?• How does the transplant process work?• What are the risks?• Are there are alternatives to organ donation?• We would like more information.

Introduction to Biomedical Information Domain

The Biomedical Information Domain encompasses all of the knowledge associated with the anatomy and physiology of organ and

tissue donation, the donation and transplantation process, and facts and fictions associated with

donation. This domain, more than any other, offers secondary students the facts they will need for

informed decision-making.

Penn Wood High School in Lansdowne, PA successfully illustrated how OTDA can be imple-

mented into the classroom, simultaneously linking it to existing curricula. Sophomores and juniors

spent six weeks working on projects that focused on OTDA. In math class, students worked on

graphs and statistics as they related to their projects. In English, they perfected their essays and

worked on increasing their medical vocabularies. They also used the Internet and resources in their

classroom medical library to research organs, drugs and treatments related to organ and tissue dona-

tion. The 10th graders made posters to complement their projects, and the juniors worked on tri-

fold display boards. The 10th graders primarily researched an organ they chose in biology class. They

had to find out everything there is to know about their particular organ: how it works, why it works,

and what happens to your body if it stops working. The 11th graders had projects that were similar,

but slightly different. In the chemistry class, they concentrated more on medications. They investigated

what kinds of drugs would cause you to need a transplant, and what kinds of drugs would be needed

once a transplant was performed.

One Penn Wood teacher noted:

“I found it to be remarkably easy to stay on-task and incorporate the OTDA Framework into my existing math curriculum. In the

Pennsylvania Academic Standards for Math, we covered: 2.5 Mathematical Problem Solving and Communication––problem-solving

strategies, interpreting results; 2.6 Statistics and Data analysis––collecting and reporting data (e.g. charts, graphs), analyzing data; and 2.7

Probability and Predictions––testing the validity of data, calculating probability to make predictions. By incorporating these required

standards into the OTDA Framework, it eliminates the question, ‘When will I ever use this?’ and makes learning easier for the students

because it’s directly applicable to something they feel is meaningful.”

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Some students seemed tohave an idea of the differencesbetween an organ and tissueand several were able to giveexamples of types of organsand tissues. However, nostudent in any focus groupwas able to provide ade-quate definitions of thesetwo terms.


This lesson plan strives to reinforce the students’ understanding of how the body recognizes its own cells and knows to attack for-eign cells, and strives to teach students to relate this recognition to the importance of matching donor tissue with recipient tissue inorgan transplants. Students will describe the cell membrane, define cell surface markers, and explain the matching process for organtransplants.

Sensing Cellular Identity, or How Does the Body Recognize What Belongs?Objectives1. Upon completion, students will understand how the body recognizes its own cells and knows to attack foreign cells.2. Students will be able articulate the importance of matching donor tissue with recipient tissue in organ transplants.3. Upon completion, students will be able to describe the cell membrane, define cell surface markers and explain the matching

process for organ transplants.

Standards MatchPennsylvania Academic Standards for :Science and Technology (proposed)

3.3.10.B Reading,Writing, Speaking and Listening

1. 8.1E 1.8.11B

Activity Students will complete each of the two following activities included in this lesson plan.1. Begin by asking the students to participate in the anticipatory set of questions. Discuss.2. Review cellular structure information found below.3. Students should complete Activity #1.4. Students should complete Activity #2.

Assessment1. Participation in group activity, and ability to explain the point of Activity #1.2. Logical flow chart with understandable explanations for each step for Activity #2.

Materials Needed1. Cards with shapes and colors2. Antibody cards3. Computers (if available)

Time Needed1-2 days if desired

Anticipatory Set1. Assume you are the referee at a football game. How would you know which players belong on the field when the game starts?

(Color of the jerseys)2. If a player didn’t have the correct jersey, what would you do? (Get rid of him!)3. How do you know where the player should be? (By the number on his jersey, certain numbers are allowed to be in certain areas

and do certain things.)4. Relate to the human body. The body must be able to recognize which cells belong to it (good), which cells don’t (bad), where the

cells should be and which job the cell should be doing.


Information and Directions for Each Step of the Activity

Question: How exactly does the body detect which cells belong?

1. Review the structure of the cell membrane (phospholipid bilayer, proteins embedded in it). The proteins in the cell membrane have several functions. One of these is to act as a cell marker, identifying each cell as belonging to your body. These markers,organized before you were even born, tell your cells where to go and which cells to join. If a cell has a different marker, the body’sdefenses recognize it as being foreign and attack and destroy it.

2.The uniqueness of an individual’s cell surface markers explains why organ donor tissue and recipient tissue must be carefully matched before transplantation. Human beings have complicated defense mechanisms against bacteria, viruses and other foreign materials that enter the body. These defenses make up the immune system. Unfortunately, the immune system cannot differenti-ate between the disease-causing organisms (bad), and the cells of a lifesaving transplant (good). Both are looked upon by the body as foreign, and the immune system will attack them. This attack by the immune system (rejection of the transplanted organ) is a great problem in organ transplants.

3. Markers are found on white blood cells. Each of us has several genetic markers located on the surface of most of our white blood cells. One of these groups of genetic markers is referred to as the HLA, or Human Leukocyte Antigens (define leukocyte [white blood cell], antigen [genetic marker]). The donor cells have Human Leukocyte Antigens on their cells. The recipient might have an antibody (protein) in his blood serum that will attack and destroy these antigens, and destroy the donor organ’s cells.

Activity #1: Students draw a card that has a specific shape and color out of an envelope. At the signal, all students (cells) with thesame shape and color on their card cluster together. Other students with the word “donor” on their card join the different groups.Four students receive cards that say “antibody.” As the students are in the groups, the antibodies move around the room andremove any "cells" that don’t have the correct marker on them. They are "destroyed." "Antibody students" explain what they arelooking for and how they recognize "foreign" cells.

1. Tissue typing and other tests determine donor/recipient compatibility. The lab performs a test called “tissue typing,” which will identify the individual’s HLA. There are many different HLA antigens in the human population, and in order for the transplant to have the best chance for success, the patient and donor HLAs must match as closely as possible.

2. After tissue typing is completed and a potential donor is identified, a test must be performed to determine if there is any immune activity (incompatibility) between the donor and recipient. It is called a “cross match” and is performed by mixing a small amount of the patient’s serum with the potential donor’s white blood cells.

3.The last test to determine if the donor and the recipient are compatible is the antibody screening. It tells how many Human Leukocyte Antigen antibodies the recipient has. The greater the amount of antibodies, the more of a problem it can be for a successful transplant. It is the role of HLA in discriminating between self and non-self that makes it important in transplantation.

Activity #2: Students will design a flow chart following the steps in selecting an appropriate donor for a recipient of a new

heart. Use a computer program if available and explain the theory behind each step.

69


This lesson plan strives to reinforce the students’ learned skills and thinking skills through utilizing research methods of Internet usage,newspaper articles or magazine articles that relate to organ and tissue donation. Students will research how an organ or tissue func-tions and results of failure of the organ and tissue. Students will have knowledge on how the transplant process works and the possibleside effects of transplants. This lesson plan will also reinforce the emotional side of organ and tissue donation as students are asked toplace themselves in the role of researching a needed organ for transplant for a friend in need of organ transplantation.

Senior BioMed Final AssignmentYou have discovered that someone you know well needs an organ or tissue donation.They want to know everything about the organ they

need and the donation process. You agree to help your friend research the topic. Remember you need to provide accurate, useful information.

Objectives1. Upon completion of this project, students will be able to describe the function of at least one organ or tissue of their choice to research.2. Upon completion of this project, students will be able to explain the transplant process and possible side effects for that trans-

plant to his or her classmates.3. Upon completion of this project, the student will have a written paper in the form of a news article, a pamphlet or a poster

presentation.

Standards Match Pennsylvania Academic Standards for :Science and Technology

3.3.12A 3.3.12B Reading,Writing, Speaking and Listening

1.5.11B 1. 8.1E 1.8.11B

Activity1. Students will choose an organ or tissue to research.2. Students will research how that organ or tissue functions and implications of system failure.3. Students will learn the transplant process for the organ or tissue.4. Students will learn possible side effects of transplants.

Assessment1. Outline of research 2. The written paper (may take on the following forms):

a. a pamphlet with informationb. a newspaper or magazine articlec. a poster presentation to the class

3. Oral presentation of findings4. Teamwork skills

Materials1. Resources for research – Internet, library, etc.2. Resources for presentation – poster board, markers, PowerPoint, etc.

Time neededThe research phase can last all semester if desired. Presentation time will vary according to number of students and time allotted for presentations.


Senior BioMed Project (student directions – handout)

You have discovered that someone you know well needs an organ or tissue transplant. They want to know everything about theorgan they need and the donation process. You agree to help your friend research the topic. Remember, you need to provide accu-rate, useful information.

For this project you will:1. Choose an organ or tissue for your research.2. Research how that organ or tissue functions and result of failure of the organ or tissue.3. Learn the transplant process for the organ or tissue.4. Learn possible side effects of transplants.

You should prepare and turn in the following:1. Outline of research 2. The written paper (may take on the following forms):

a. a pamphlet with informationb. a newspaper or magazine articlec. a poster presentation to the class

AssessmentYou will be assessed on your final paper, as well as a brief oral presentation of your findings. For this project, you will work in groupsof three. Teamwork will also be assessed.

71

Sample Lesson Plan Three

This lesson plan strives to reinforce the students’ learned skills through the usage of vocabulary words. Students will understand themeaning of vocabulary words relating to organ and tissue donation. Students will have an opportunity to test their knowledge onorgan and tissue donation vocabulary through this simple, interactive classroom activity.

Organ and Tissue Donation Concepts Vocabulary Activity

Lesson ObjectiveUpon completion students will understand the meaning of vocabulary words relating to organ and tissue donation.

Standards MatchReading,Writing, Speaking and Listening

1.1.8.E 1.1.8.F

Activity1. Students will create flash cards from the glossary of words relating to organ and tissue donation.2. The teacher will read a definition and students will raise their hands and provide the correct vocabulary word/term to match the

definition read by the teacher.3. For each correct term provided, the instructor will give the students a flash card.

AssessmentStudents receiving one to three flash cards receive a 75%.Students receiving four flash cards receive an 85%.Students receiving five or more flash cards receive a 100%.

Materials Needed1. Glossary for organ and tissue donation2. Index cards3. Magic marker

Time Needed1-2 days, depending on how it is structured as an activity

Lesson Plan GlossaryUse as a resource for vocabulary on flashcards.Source: International Association for Organ Donation: http://www.iaod.org/glossary.htm

Allocation – The system of ensuring that organs and tissues are distributed fairly to patients who are in need.

Blood Vessels – The arteries, veins and capillaries through which blood circulates. Blood vessels can be donated and transplanted.

Bone – Dense tissue that forms the skeleton. Bone can be donated and transplanted.

Bone Marrow – Soft tissue located in the cavities of bones. Bone marrow is the source of all blood cells. Bone marrow can be donated and transplanted.


Brain Death – Occurs when a person’s brain activity stops permanently. It is impossible to return to life after brain death.

Cadaveric Donors – Also called deceased donors; those who donate their organs or tissue after they have been declared brain dead.

Connective Tissue – Forms the supportive and connective structures of the body.

Cornea – The transparent outer coat of the eyeball that covers the iris and pupil. Corneas can be donated and transplanted.

Donation – The act of giving one’s organs and/or tissue to others.

End-Stage Organ Disease – A disease that leads, ultimately, to functional failure of an organ.Some examples are emphysema (lungs), cardiomyopathy (heart), and polycystic kidney disease (kidneys).

End-Stage Renal Disease (ESRD) – A very serious and life-threatening kidney disease that minorities suffer much more frequently than do Caucasians. ESRD is treatable with dialysis; however,dialysis is costly and can result in a poor quality of life for the patient. The preferred treatment of ESRD is kidney transplantation. Transplantation offers the patient "freedom" from dialysis to lead a more normal lifestyle and can successfully treat ESRD for many years.

Heart – A muscular organ that pumps blood through the body. The heart can be donated and

transplanted.

Heart Valves – A tissue that prevents the back flow of blood into the heart. The heart valves can be donated and

transplanted.

Immunosuppressive Drugs – Chemical agents that cause the human body not to produce antibodies that normally fight off

foreign material in the body. The production of these antibodies needs to be suppressed in order to permit the acceptance of a

donor organ by the recipient’s body.

Intestines – The portion of the digestive tract extending from the stomach to the anus, consisting of upper and lower segments. The intestines can be donated and transplanted.

Kidneys – A pair of organs that maintain proper water and electrolyte balance, regulate acid-based concentration, and filter the blood of metabolic waste, which is excreted as urine. Kidneys can be donated and transplanted.

Liver – A large reddish-brown organ that secretes bile and is active in the formation of certain blood proteins and in the metabolism of carbohydrates, fats and proteins. The liver can be donated and transplanted.

Living Donors – Persons who donate a kidney, part of a lung, or part of a liver while they are still alive.

Lungs – A pair of two spongy organs that remove carbon dioxide from the blood and provide it with oxygen. The lungs can be donated and transplanted.

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• Saving someone’s life• Improving the quality of

someone’s life• Increasing life expectancy

73

Middle Ear – Contains three small bones or ossicles, known because of their shapes as the hammer, anvil and stirrup. The ear is the organ of hearing and equilibrium. The middle ear can be donated and transplanted.

Organ Procurement Organizations (OPO) – Organizations that coordinate activities relating to organ retrieval (procurement) in a designated area. OPO activities include: evaluating potential donors, discussing donation with surviving family members, arranging for surgical removal and transport of donated organs, and educating the public about the need for donations.

Pancreas – Long, irregularly shaped gland, which lies behind the stomach and secretes pancreatic juice into the lower end of the stomach that aids in the digestion of proteins, carbohydrates and fats. The pancreas can be donated and transplanted.

Procurement – The process of retrieving organs and/or tissue from a donor.

Recipient – A person who receives an organ or tissue transplant.

Skin – The tissue forming the external covering of the body. Skin can be donated and transplanted.

Tendon – Tough tissue that connects a muscle with a bone. Tendons can be donated and transplanted.

Transplant Centers – Hospitals or medical centers that perform organ and/or tissue transplants.

Transplantation – The transfer of cells, tissues or organs from an area of the body to another or from one organism to another.

Transplantation (Allogeneic,Allograft) – Transplantation between genetically different members of the same species.

Nearly all organ and bone marrow transplants are allografts. These may be between brothers and sisters, parents and children,

or between donors and recipients who are not related to each other.

Transplantation (Autologous) – Transplantation of an organism’s own cell or tissues; autologous transplantation may be used

to repair or replace damaged tissue; autologous bone marrow transplantation permits the usage of more severe and toxic

cancer therapies by replacing bone marrow damaged by the treatment with marrow that was removed and stored prior to

treatment.



Domain: Biomedical Information

Topic Indicator: 2.4 – Current Research

2003 Deceased Organ Donation at Highest Rate in Five YearsRichmond,Va. -- Preliminary statistics indicate that 6,455 people became deceased organ donors in the United States in 2003. This

represents an increase of 4.3 percent over the previous year, the highest annual increase since 1998. These statistics are compiled bythe Organ Procurement and Transplantation Network (OPTN), which is operated by the United Network for Organ Sharing (UNOS)under federal contract. A total of 25,448 transplants were performed with organs from both deceased and living donors. In addition,the number of transplant candidates who died awaiting a transplant in 2003 fell to 5,968 after exceeding 6,000 each year since 1999.

"We are honored by the selfless gift of organ donation and encouraged that transplants saved more lives in 2003," saidOPTN/UNOS President Russell Wiesner, M.D. "But we must continue our efforts to help the more than 87,000 people still anxiouslyawaiting a transplant."

The donor increase in 2003 came amid intensified efforts to promote both public commitment to organ donation and health pro-fessionals’ support of the donation process. The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services has taken a leadership role by contin-uing a workplace-based public educational campaign and launching an initiative to raise donation rates among the nation’s largest hospi-tals. Other significant efforts include national public awareness campaigns sponsored by the Coalition on Donation and the state-andlocal-based advocacy of the nation’s 59 organ procurement organizations.

There were 6,808 living organ donors in 2003, an increase of 2.9 percent over the previous year but a smaller annual rate ofincrease than in several recent years. Since 2001, the number of living organ donors in the U.S. has exceeded the number of deceaseddonors. More than 40 percent of the kidney transplants performed in the U.S. each year are made possible through living donation.

Deaths among candidates listed for a transplant declined 10.5 percent from 2002 to 2003. This was likely due in part to the nearly550 additional transplants performed in 2003. However, the change also may have been affected by other factors, such as better med-ical management of patients awaiting a transplant and the effects of recently enacted OPTN/UNOS organ allocation policies that givemore priority to patients who are medically urgent and/or harder to match with most donated organs.

"Our fondest hope is that in the coming year we can meet the needs of all transplant candidates," said Wiesner. "But at the veryleast, we hope to build upon the positive trends we are seeing with the most recent data."

The Organ Procurement and Transplantation Network (OPTN) is operated under contract with the U.S. Department of Health andHuman Services, Health Resources and Services Administration, Division of Transplantation by the United Network for Organ Sharing(UNOS). The OPTN brings together medical professionals, transplant recipients and donor families to develop organ transplantationpolicy.

From URL: http://www.optn.org/news/newsDetail.asp?id=313Reprinted with permission

75


Teacher Tip!

Facts and Myths

There are many myths and misconceptions about donation and transplantation. Many of these myths have con-

tributed to misunderstanding. If you hear a story about donation or transplantation, check it out by contacting a

transplant expert in your local community. You will probably find that the story is not true. Here are answers to

a few common myths you may have already heard:

Myth: A man went to a party and woke up the next morning in a bathtub full of ice. One of his

kidneys is stolen for sale on the black market.

Fact: There is no documented case of this ever happening. First, it is illegal to buy and sell organs in

the United States. Second, due to the complexity of transplantation, piracy is practically impossible. The

process of matching donors with recipients, the need for highly skilled medical professional to perform

the surgery, and the need for modern medical facilities and support necessary for transplantation make

it highly unlikely that this system could be duplicated in secrecy.

Myth: Rich and famous people get moved to the top of the waiting list, while “regular” people have to wait a

long time for a transplant.

Fact: Our national organ allocation and distribution system is blind to wealth or social status. The length of time it takes to

receive a transplant is governed by many factors, including blood and tissue type, length of time on the waiting list, severity of

illness and other medical criteria. Factors such as race, gender, age, income or celebrity status are never considered.

Myth: Many people have legitimate religious reasons not to donate.

Fact: All major religions approve of donation. All major religions support donation, typically considering it a generous act that

is the individual’s choice.

Myth: If someone is in an accident and the hospital knows they want to be a donor, the doctors won’t try to save his or her life.

Fact: The medical team treating you is separate from the transplant team. The transplant team is not notified until all lifesaving

efforts have failed, death has been determined and your family has consented to donation.

Myth: A donor’s family has to pay additional expenses.

Fact: A donor’s family is never charged for donation.

LLiivviinngg DDoonnoorr IIssssuueess::Several students specifi-cally expressed concernsabout donating one oftheir kidneys and thenpossibly needing it later.Some students indicatedthat they or other stu-dents are fearful of dyingas a result of donating an organ or tissue.


Myth: A history of medical illness or advanced age will automatically eliminate your chance for becoming a donor.

Fact: Age limits for organ donation no longer exist, and at the time of death, qualified medical personnel will

review medical and social histories to determine donor suitability on a case-by-case basis.

Myth: Becoming an organ and tissue donor will leave my body disfigured.

Fact: Donated organs and tissues are removed surgically, in a routine operation similar to gallbladder or appendix

removal. Donation does not disfigure the body or change the way it looks in any way.

Myth: You can sell your organs.

Fact: The National Organ Transplant Act makes it ILLEGAL to sell human organs and tissues. Violators are subject

to fines and imprisonment. Among the reasons for this rule is the concern of Congress that buying and selling of

organs might lead to inequitable access to donor organs, with the wealthy having an unfair advantage.

Myth: People can recover from brain death.

Fact: It is impossible to recover from brain death. This is a common misconception about the difference between

coma and brain death. In a coma (or in varying states of unconsciousness), the brain still functions, even though it

may be at a decreased level of function. Patients may or may not improve from their unconscious state, but they

are not brain dead. Death can occur in two ways: 1) When the heart and lungs stop functioning, and 2) When the

brain stops functioning. In cases of brain death, there are no brain waves present, blood has ceased to flow to the

brain, pupils are unresponsive, and there is no eye movement in response to stimulus. Extensive tests are conducted

over a period of hours to rule out every possible sign of brain function.

Myth: Organ recipients acquire their donor’s characteristics.

Fact: It is scientifically impossible for transplant recipients to acquire their donor’s characteristics. Transplanted

organs do not have a memory. The power of suggestion or the experience of the illness and transplant may have an

effect on the individual. This can cause the recipient to develop a liking for certain activities not previously enjoyed.

Although some transplant recipients believe they acquired their donor’s characteristics, this phenomenon has no

scientific basis.

Myths and Facts compiled from The Gift of Life, CORE, Flow/JRI and IOPO sources

CCaann yyoouu bbee aa lliivvee ddoonnoorr??“Can som

eone donate something if they are still alive?;” “Do you have to be dead to donate your organs?;” “Is it possible to don ate your liver or kidney and still live?;”

“What organs can you donate and still live, like kidneys?;” “Som

e people might w

onder if they can donate a kidney or something, if they can still live w

ithoutone and m

aybe they might w

onder if they would be able to do the sam

e things;” “What m

ight your condition be years later if you donate your organs tosom

ebody else?”

“

“

What are the three types of donors?

1. Deceased Donors:

Brain Death Possible Donations Process

Maintained on ventilator–– Heart Bone Organs are removed

heart beating. Pancreas Corneas/Eyes in operating room while

Lungs Heart Valves heart function is

Intestine Skin maintained with

Liver Veins artificial support.

Kidneys Tendons

2. Deceased Donors:

Cardiac Death Possible Donations Process

No cardiac or Corneas/Eyes Bone Tissue can be donated

respiratory function. Heart Valves Veins up to 24 hours after

Skin Tendons death.

3. Living Donors:

Possible Donations Process

Living individuals who Transplants possible from Potential living

may or may not be living donors include donors undergo

related to the potential kidney, partial liver or screening and

recipient(s). lung, bone marrow, and compatibility testing.

blood.

Reprinted with permission: IOPO – Indiana Organ Procurement Organization

When asked the question “What is brain death and how is it determined?” students in most of the focus groups(7 out of 11) had the correct answer – no brain activity with machines needed to keep other major organs,such as the heart, alive. However, students in six of the 11 focus groups apparently confused brain death withbrain injury. They felt that brain death was when a person was alive but not able to function normally.


Brain Death and Coma

What’s the Difference?

Brain Death Coma

All brain tissue is DEAD A PORTION of the brain is INJURED

NO blood flow to the brain Brain still receiving blood flow

NO electrical activity in the brain Electrical activity is present in the brain

NO CHANCE OF RECOVERY Recovery MAY be possible

Brain death is death.


79

Sequence of Key Activities During a Deceased Donation

The sequence and time frame of the following events will vary depending upon individual circumstances. The

entire donation process takes from a few hours to twenty or more hours.

1. The patient is admitted to the hospital, and all attempts are made to treat severe head injuries.

2. The patient is pronounced brain dead after evaluation, testing and documentation by a physician.

3. A referral is made to evaluate the suitability of the patient for donation. OPO coordinators will check for the patient’s donor

designation. Even if the person has the designation, an OPO coordinator will talk to family. Following a detailed discussion and

consultation with an OPO coordinator, written consent is obtained from the family.

4. To proceed, all donations must first be cleared with the medical examiner or coroner.

5. The donor is maintained on a ventilator and stabilized with fluid and drugs. A swan-ganz and arterial line are placed and

many lab tests are completed to help assess organ function.

6. Recipients are identified by accessing the UNOS computer system.

7. Surgical teams are mobilized and coordinated to arrive at the donor hospital for the organ recovery surgery.

8. The donor is brought to the operating room on the ventilator after the surgical teams have arrived at the donor hospital.

9. The organ recovery surgery is performed. The organs are cooled and preserved with special solutions. The ventilator is

discontinued at this time. Each team returns to its transplant center to perform the transplant surgery.

10. Tissue donation takes place after the organ donation is completed.

11. An autopsy, when requested, is performed after the donation process is completed.

12. The body is released to the funeral home.

13. An OPO provides the donor family with general information about the recipients of their gifts. Confidentiality is maintained.




The Issues andConsiderations DomainThe Issues andConsiderations Domain

The Issues and Considerations Domain

A Real-Life Story

Henry Edward Savior

September 2, 1955 – October 20, 2000

When Gina Savior talks about her “baby” brother, Hank, her love for him shines through. She describes Hank as an “extremely hand-

some and likable man.” He was a happy-go-lucky person who was known by everyone in his Philadelphia neighborhood. He was a

talented drummer when he was younger. He served his country in the Air Force, where he was stationed in Texas. He was the loving

father of Henry, now age 11, and his younger brother,Travis, who lives in Virginia.

But Henry Savior did not live a happy-go-lucky life. He was assaulted when he was just 17 years old and left with many emotional

problems. Because of these problems, Henry attended the Community Council Center at 48th and Wyalusing Avenue almost every

day. It was there that he made many friends. Gina said busloads of people who knew Henry from the Center came to his viewing and

service. In fact, he was on his way to the Center on October 19th when he died. The van that came to take him picked him up just

like any other day. Henry had complained about a terrible headache, and when he got out of the van at the center, he collapsed on

the street. He was taken to the Hospital of the University of Pennsylvania, where he was rushed into surgery. Henry had an aneurism

in the left frontal lobe of his brain that ruptured. He was in surgery all day, but couldn’t be stabilized.

Henry had a driver’s license, but wasn’t able to drive. When the family checked his license, they saw that he had chosen to be an

ORGAN DONOR. Gina’s older brother, Gilbert, and Henry’s mother gave the final go-ahead for Henry to be an organ donor. He

was able to give the gift of both of his kidneys, his liver, and heart valves. Gina remembers the day of her brother’s death as a beautiful,

sunny day.

Gina, who is the primary caregiver in the family, is filled with enthusiasm for living. She said her brothers referred to her as “the

cruise director.” She “directs” from a big house filled with three generations of family. She takes care of her parents, took care of Hank,

and adopted his son Henry. She also has a son and daughter who are now grown. She is a trained medical technician who works pri-

marily in women’s health. She teaches medical students how to do their first GYN exams, does insurance physicals, and is on staff at

both University of Pennsylvania and Temple University. You can almost hear her smile when she talks about “her Henry” and knows her

brother Hank’s son is a tremendous comfort to her and her family.

Gina was contacted by the bereavement counselors at Gift of Life shortly after Hank’s death and has since become an active volun-

teer. She spoke this summer at the Minority Affairs Gospel Celebration for National Minority Donor Awareness Day. She was invited

to go to Washington D.C. for the National Donor Program Reception.

Gina’s philosophy is truly understated. “Use what you can,” she says. “If someone’s life can be helped by something you have––use it!”


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Introduction to Issues and Considerations Domain

The goal of the Issues and Considerations Domain is for secondary students to explore the medical, demographic, social, legal/politi-

cal and global issues relevant to organ and tissue donation that are pertinent to the learning context.

Selinsgrove Area High School in Selinsgrove, PA successfully integrated the OTDA Curriculum Framework across several academic

disciplines that reached over 300 students during the school year. The business/technology class was particularly successful in illustrating

the Legal and Political Issues and Considerations within the Issues and Considerations Domain. The business/technology classes devel-

oped a web quest for cross-curriculum application and had students generate pamphlets and other publications used to make bulletin

board displays. Students discussed and researched organ and tissue donation in a law class.

The teachers at Selinsgrove implemented the OTDA Framework into their curriculum using an integrated approach. The framework

was linked to state standards and used as a vehicle to achieve those standards. The standards addressed were:

1.3 Reading, Analyzing and Interpreting Literature1.4 Types of Writing1.5 Quality of Writing1.6 Speaking and Listening1.8 Research

One Selinsgrove teacher stated:

“The OTDA grant and framework provided an excellent opportunity to integrate a real-world issue into the classroom. The teach-ers readily accepted the framework and implemented it into their existing curriculum. The ideas and activities developed by the teach-ers were extremely well-received by the students, and this was evidenced by the quality of the products the students generated andthe enthusiasm demonstrated throughout the activities.”


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This lesson plan strives to reinforce the importance of science in the students’ life. Students will explore why the human body natu-rally rejects foreign bodies, such as when a new organ or tissue is transplanted. Students will display knowledge on what can be doneto help prevent a body’s rejection of a new organ. Students will be asked to explore alternative methods for future donation andtransplantation (should the trend of organ shortage continue as in the present day).

Organ Transplants - Spare Parts for Broken Hearts

Objectives 1. Upon completion, students will be able to articulate the importance of science in their personal lives and the lives of family

members.2. Upon completion, students will be able to discuss obstacles and challenges of organ and tissue transplants.

Standards MatchPennsylvania Academic Standards for :Science and Technology

3.8.10A 3.8.10B3.3.12A 3.3.12B

Reading,Writing, Speaking and Listening1.1.11F

Activity 1. Students will read the passage below silently.2. In a group, students will discuss the passage and answer the questions on the worksheet.3. The entire class will discuss the passage and correct the worksheets.4. Students will hand in worksheets for assessment.

Assessment1. Group interaction2. Discussion participation 3. Successful completion of worksheet

Materials1. Topically related passage below2. Worksheet for reinforcement and assessment

Time Required1 class period – 50 minutes

Have you ever considered the thousands of things that take place in your body? Think of your body as an automobile. Mechanicsare always busy replacing this belt or that valve. The brakes, tires, battery and spark plugs are all parts that often need to be changed.When an accident occurs, fenders, doors or a hood may need to be replaced. Auto mechanics go to the local junkyard where usableparts can be recycled from cars that are no longer drivable. Who would have thought that a similar idea could someday be used tosave lives?

Organ transplants have become quite common in today’s medical world. You may have heard of the kidney transplant. This surgeryis fairly common. Hearts and lungs have also been transplanted separately and together. Unfortunately, organ transplants are notalways successful. Just as patients who receive blood transfusions must be matched with the donor’s blood type, organs also mustmatch. The human immune system, the network in our body that fights infections, is an eternal watchdog that attacks foreign invaders.This is to your advantage when the invader is a virus or bacteria. However, rejection is a process whereby the immune system attacksthe transplanted organ because it is foreign to the body. Care must be taken to match the donor organs with the tissues of the personreceiving the organ. Drugs are given to turn down the body’s immune system and keep rejection from happening. Anti-rejection drugshave greatly increased the success of transplant surgeries by keeping the immune system from attacking the new organ. However, thepatient has to take anti-rejection drugs every day of his or her life.

Today, hearts, kidneys, livers and other organs are transplanted. Doctors believe that someday, with more research, certain animalscould be raised specifically to supply organs for human transplants. Yet, other exciting ideas are being considered. For example, can onepart of the body be used to replace another? Scientists have already constructed a heart for a dog using the muscle taken from thedog’s back. Where will technology end? Someday scientists may be able to grow new organs in the laboratory using organ tissue. Wemay each have our own spare organs on the shelf ready to fix our broken parts!


Organ Transplants – Spare Parts/Broken Hearts Reinforcement Activity

Name _______________________________ Date _________________

Answer the following questions.1. Why would someone need a kidney transplant?

2. What problems can result from organ transplantation?

3. What precautions do doctors take to minimize complications in organ transplants?

4. Why does the body sometimes reject a donated organ?

5. Why is the drug, cyclosporine, given to organ recipients? How does it work?

6. What are two ways in which scientists might some day be able to make more organs available for transplantation?

7. What organs are typically transplanted into humans?

Indicate whether these procedures are routine, experimental or untested with a check.

Procedures Routine Experimental Untested

Blood transfusions

Growing new organs from organ tissue

Constructing new organs from animal tissue

Transplanting human kidneys into humans

Transplanting organs from an animal to a human

Use of cyclosporine

Transplanting human livers into humans

Raising animals specifically for human transplants

Matching donor and recipient organs

Transplanting human hearts into humans


This lesson plan strives to reinforce the appreciation of how other nations view and confront the issue of organ and tissue donation.Students will be exposed to the global perspectives on organ and tissue donation. Students will determine through Internet researchhow other countries handle organ and tissue donation.

Organ and Tissue Donation Around the World

Lesson ObjectivesThe French III students will determine the organ and tissue donation policies of other countries.

Standards MatchReading,Writing, Speaking and Listening

1.2.11.A1.8.11A 1.8.11B 1.8.11C

Foreign Languages 12.3.1C 12.3.1D (Proposed)

Activity1.The students will go to the computer lab to research online how other countries handle organ and tissue donation.2. Each student will choose three countries to explore.3. Students will do a final presentation on their findings.

AssessmentSuccessful completion of the research and presentation assignments

Materials Needed1. Computer lab – Internet access2. Final presentation materials – format optional

Time RequiredTwo weeks of research and homework; presentations dependent on time allowed.



Domain: Issues and Considerations

Topic Indicators: 3.3 – Issues related to social responsibility

Collaboration Announced to Increase Donation Among Minorities

San Antonio,TX -- Former NBA star and ESPN/ABC commentator, Sean Elliott, announced a national education campaign to pro-

mote organ donation among U.S. minority communities at the American Society of Minority Health Transplant Professionals (ASMHTP)

11th Annual Meeting. Elliott, the recipient of a live donor kidney, has agreed to serve as the national spokesman for this ‘Closing the

Gap’ public education campaign. Led by ASMHTP, the campaign is being designed as a joint venture among many of the nation's profes-

sional transplant and minority medical organizations. In the yearlong nationwide initiative, participating organizations and professional

societies will enlist their members in the dissemination of educational materials and information to minority communities at a local level.

“The collaboration of so many professional organizations has enormous potential to reach minority communities. We’ve formed a

network of professionals who routinely communicate directly with the target audiences in a one-on-one setting,” said incoming

ASMHTP president, Clifton McClenney. As a regional administrator for the United Network for Organ Sharing, McClenney works

closely with transplant professionals from around the country. “In addition to mass media dissemination, we’ll employ good old-fash-

ioned face-to-face communication to spread the word.” The campaign will emphasize the awareness messages devised specifically for

minority audiences by the Coalition on Donation; the Division of Transplantation (DoT), a component of the Health Resources and

Services Administration (HRSA) of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services; and the National Minority Organ Tissue

Transplant Education Program (National MOTTEP).

1. The need: unique health issues of minorities transplant demand among minorities and the limited pool of organs for transplantation.

2. Only you have the power to save lives. Talk to your family about donating life. A conversation with your family will take place before donation can happen, so they need to know your wishes.

3. Protect your health and prevent the need for a future transplant.

The campaign will involve the following components:

• Distribution of existing educational and awareness materials produced by the Coalition on Donation, DoT, and MOTTEP for minority audiences through members of the National Medical Association (NMA). The NMA distribution will make the materials available in the waiting rooms of family practice physicians in minority communities, health clinics, and hospitals that have transplant programs, as well as churches and houses of worship.

• Creation of a Closing the Gap information page on the ASMHTP website with more in-depth information that reflects the materials of the Coalition on Donation, DoT, and MOTTEP.

• Placement of inspiring and informative minority donation stories in print, television, and entertainment media sources.• Publication of abstracts and studies; clinical presentations that highlight clinical issues surrounding organ donation in minority

communities.

Closing the Gap is an unprecedented collaboration of professional health organizations to address the particular needs of minority

communities as they relate to organ health and the need for organ donation. To date, the following organizations have agreed to sup-

port the ASMHTP initiative: the United Network for Organ Sharing and the UNOS Foundation; the Coalition on Donation; the

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National Minority Organ Tissue Transplant Education Program; the Department of Transplantation; the National Medical Association;The

Links, Incorporated and its Linkage to Life Initiative; Association of Organ Procurement Organization; and the North American

Transplant Coordinators Organization.

This initiative is made possible through support from the United Network for Organ Sharing and the UNOS Foundation.

From URL: http://www.optn.org/news/newsDetail.asp?id=288



Teacher Tip!Here are 10 Ethical Questions to Ask Your Students:

1. Should inmates be eligible for organ and tissue donation?2. Should drug addicts and alcoholics be eligible for the waiting list?3. Should children be given precedence on the waiting list? Why?4. Do you think people should have the right to sell their kidneys for money? Why or why not?5. Should parents or family members have the right to override someone’s desire to donate their organs and tissue at their time

of death?6. If someone can afford to pay for an organ or tissue, should they be required to?7. Do you think that it is a personal or a religious decision to donate organs and tissue? Why?8. How would you handle it if someone you loved were brain dead and wanted to donate their organs and tissue, but no one in

your family could agree?9. Would you be willing to donate a kidney to someone you loved? What about to a stranger? To a neighbor?

10. What if you knew that the person that was going to receive an organ donated by you was of a religion or culture that you did not like? Would you still agree to donate? Why or why not?

There are no right or wrong answers to these questions. They are meant to engage critical thinking, debate and reasoning skills.See what you can do to incorporate these or other questions into a lesson plan. For more ideas, visit the OPTN website at:http://www.optn.org/resources/bioethics.asp.


Domain: Issues and ConsiderationsTopic Indicators: 3.1 – Medical Ethics Related to Organ and Tissue Donation

UNOS Ethics Committee: Ethics of Organ Donation From Condemned Prisoners

Note: This report is circulated for informational purposes and to stimulate discussion of a very important subject. The report has

been presented to the OPTN/UNOS Board of Directors. It has not been adopted as a policy.

Rationale for Deliberation

As the scarcity of suitable organs for transplantation continues to grow, alternative sources for organs have been reported and oth-

ers suggested. One such suggestion is to recover organs that would otherwise seem to go to waste, such as those from condemned

prisoners. Reportedly, the People's Republic of China recovers organs from executed prisoners, and recent U.S. news reports have

alleged that organ brokers operate in this country who arrange transplantation of the foreign prisoner's organs. This discussion is not

restricted to third world countries. In the United States, proposals of this type have come from prominent figures and bodies. While

one proposal suggested that prisoners be given the option of donating organs upon their death, another suggests that condemned pris-

oners be offered the option of trading a kidney or their bone marrow in exchange for a commuted sentence of life in prison without

parole.

While it is beyond the scope of the UNOS Ethics Committee to examine the moral and ethical issues encompassing the death

penalty, it is worth noting that this topic is both ethically and judicially controversial. Acknowledgment should at least be made that the

death penalty is rarely available or applied in most industrialized western nations, except for the United States. All western European

countries, Canada, Mexico, and Central and South American, with the exception of Chile, have abolished the death penalty. Recent U.S.

data show an inequitable application of the death penalty with a significant evidence of racial bias particularly in the south. The data

indicates that blacks are five times more likely to be sentenced to death than whites convicted of similar crimes, and that the economi-

cally disadvantaged, as well are more likely than the wealthy to receive the death penalty.

Any law or proposal that allows a person to trade an organ for a reduction in sentence, particularly a sentence from death to life in

prison, raises numerous issues. Application of the death penalty is spasmodic and seemingly discriminatorily applied, which would sug-

gest that these types of proposals would be coercive to particular classes of individuals––minorities and the poor. Would the reduction

in sentence apply to the offer to donate, or would it only be honored if the act of donation took place? If the act of donation would

exclusively qualify for the reduction in sentence, then the law or policy would discriminate against individuals found to be medically

unsuitable to donate organs. Examples include:

• Those with common prison infections, such as tuberculosis, HIV, or Hepatitis B.

• The prisoners with a single functioning kidney or on dialysis, or with diabetes or other renal diseases.

If prisoners were allowed to trade a kidney to mitigate a death sentence, it may affect the actual imposition of the death penalty.

With greater publicity surrounding these types of proposals/laws, potential jurors could be influenced and ultimately impose the death

penalty more often with a potential societal benefit in mind. Jurors might hope that the convicted persons would choose to trade their

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kidney for their life. This would present a gross inequity for those unable or unwilling to donate a kidney and who might otherwise

have not received a death sentence.

The proposals that concern organ recovery from executed prisoners unveil another host of problems. One method of execution

suggested is the act of organ donation itself. From a utilitarian standpoint this would make sense; the anesthetizing of the condemned

and the recovery of organs in the usual manner would produce optimum organs for transplantation. However, the cross clamping the

aorta and the ensuing cardiectomy, followed by the disconnection of the ventilator, create an unacceptable situation for the organ

recovery team. It clearly places the organ recovery team in the role of executioner. Many physician groups, including the American

Medical Association, have prohibited physician participation in state executions on ethical grounds.

Issues of informed consent of potential donors, as well as recipients need to be addressed. Obviously a person condemned to

death cannot consider organ or bone marrow donation as a coercion-free option. Even a death row inmate should have the option of

refusing an invasive surgical procedure, although unlikely, given the alternative. Correspondingly, a person to be executed, or their next

of kin/surrogate, should be able to make an informed decision regarding any donation options, including informed refusal if they so

chose. Ultimately the potential organ/bone marrow recipient(s) should be informed that the source of the donation was a condemned

prisoner, while maintaining the prisoner's confidentiality. Individuals in opposition to the death penalty might object to accepting an

organ from either an executed prisoner or a prisoner who traded their organ for their life.

Consider the effect that such a policy/law could have on organ donation overall. The number of potential organs recovered from

condemned prisoners would be small. The conceivable stigma that would be attached to organ donation from its coupling with execu-

tion could lead to decreases in donation rates. This may especially be true within certain minority groups. Any notion that particular

groups of people were receiving increased numbers of death sentences to provide organs for the rest of society would clearly make it

difficult to attempt to obtain consent for altruistic donation from these groups.

Conclusion

The UNOS Ethics Committee has raised a small number of the many issues regarding organ donation from condemned prisoners.

The Committee opposes any strategy or proposed statute regarding organ donation from condemned prisoners until all of the poten-

tial ethical concerns have been satisfactorily addressed.

Learn more about transplantation bioethics.

The Institute of Human Values in Health Care at the Medical University of South Carolina

Bioethics Net: Bioethics in Organ Transplantation/Donation

Science Museum of VA, Bioethics 2000

National Institutes of Health: Bioethics Resources

From URL: http://www.optn.org/resources/bioethics.asp?index=6



Religions and Donation

Major religions support organ donation as a humanitarian gift giving life. If you have questions about donation, we encourage you to

talk with the leader of your religious community.

AME & AME Zion

(African Methodist Episcopal) Organ and tissue donation is viewed as an act of neighborly love

and charity by these denominations. They encourage all members to support donation as a way of

helping others.

Amish

The Amish will consent to transplantation if they believe it is for the well being of the transplant

recipient. John Hostetler, world-renowned authority on Amish religion and professor of anthropology

at Temple University in Philadelphia, says in his book, Amish Society, "The Amish believe that since God

created the human body, it is God who heals. However, nothing in the Amish understanding of the

Bible forbids them from using modern medical services, including surgery, hospitalization, dental work,

anesthesia, blood transfusions, or immunization."

Assembly of God

The Church has no official policy regarding organ and tissue donation. The decision to donate is left up to the individual. Donation

is highly supported by the denomination.

Baptist

Organ and tissue donation is supported as an act of charity. The Baptist Church leaves the decision up to the individual. The

nation's largest Protestant denomination, the Southern Baptist Convention, adopted a resolution in 1988, encouraging physicians to

request organ donation in appropriate circumstances and to "…encourage voluntarism regarding organ donation in the spirit of stew-

ardship, compassion for the needs of others, and alleviating suffering."

Brethren

While no official position has been taken by the Brethren denominations, according to Pastor Mike Smith, there is a consensus

among the National Fellowship of Grace Brethren that organ and tissue donation is a charitable act, so long as it does not impede the

life or hasten the death of the donor or does not come from an unborn child.

Buddhism

Buddhists believe organ and tissue donation is a matter of individual conscience and place a high value on acts of compassion.

Reverend Gyomay Masao, president and founder of the Buddhist Temple of Chicago says, "We honor those people who donate their

bodies and organs to the advancement of medical science and to saving lives." The importance of letting loved ones know your wishes

is stressed.

SSoommee ooff tthhee rreeaassoonnss tthhaattssttuuddeennttss ggaavvee iinn aannsswweerr ttootthhee qquueessttiioonn rreeggaarrddiinngg wwhhyymmaajjoorr rreelliiggiioonnss mmiigghhtt pprroo--hhiibbiitt ddoonnaattiioonn iinncclluuddeedd::• The body is sacred and should not be damaged. It should be left intact.• [Transplantation] affects

what organs you have in the next life.

• It is sacrilegious to take organs from someone and continue to live.

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Catholicism

Catholics view organ and tissue donation as an act of charity and love. Transplants are morally and ethically acceptable to the

Vatican. According to Father Leroy Wickowski, Director of the Office of Health Affairs of the Archdiocese of Chicago,

"We encourage donation as an act of charity. It is something good that can result from tragedy and a way for fami-

lies to find comfort by helping others." Pope John Paul II has stated, "The Catholic Church would promote the

fact that there is a need for organ donors, and Christians should accept this as a challenge to their generosity

and fraternal love so long as ethical principles are followed."

Christian Church (Disciples of Christ)

The Christian Church encourages organ and tissue donation, stating that we were created for God's

glory and for sharing God's love. A 1985 resolution, adopted by the General Assembly, encourages

"…members of the Christian Church (Disciples of Christ) to enroll as organ donors and prayerfully support

those who have received an organ transplant."

Christian Science

The Church of Christian Science does not have a specific position regarding organ donation. According to the

First Church of Christ Scientist in Boston, Christian Scientists normally rely on spiritual instead of medical means of

healing. They are free, however, to choose whatever form of medical treatment they desire––including a transplant. The

question of organ and tissue donation is an individual decision.

The Church of the Nazarene

The Church of the Nazarene encourages its members who do not object personally to support donor/recipient anatomical organs

through living wills and trusts. Further, they appeal for a morally and ethically fair distribution of organs to those qualified to receive

them (Manual, Church of the Nazarene 1997-2001, paragraph 904.2).

Episcopal

The Episcopal Church passed a resolution in 1982 that recognizes the life-giving benefits of organ, blood and tissue donation. All

Christians are encouraged to become organ, blood, and tissue donors "…as part of their ministry to others in the name of Christ, who

gave His life, that we may have life in its fullness."

Greek Orthodox

According to Reverend Dr. Milton Efthimiou, Director of the Department of Church and Society for the Greek Orthodox Church of

North and South America, the Greek Orthodox Church is not opposed to organ donation, as long as the organs and tissue in question

are used to better human life, i.e., for transplantation or for research that will lead to improvements in the treatment and prevention of

disease.


Nearly 9 out of 10

teacher/respondents

thought that some

major religions oppose

organ and

tissue donation.


Gypsies

Gypsies are people of different ethnic groups without a formalized religion. They share common folk beliefs and tend

to oppose organ donation. Their opposition is connected with their beliefs about the afterlife. Traditional belief con-

tends that for one year after death the soul retraces its steps. Thus, the body must remain intact, because the soul main-

tains its physical shape.

Hinduism

According to the Hindu Temple Society of North America, religious law does not prohibit Hindus from donating

their organs. This act is an individual's decision. H.L.Trivedi, in Transplantation Proceedings, stated that, "Hindu mythology

has stories in which the parts of the human body are used for the benefit of other humans and society. There is noth-

ing in the Hindu religion indicating that parts of humans, dead or alive, cannot be used to alleviate the suffering of other

humans."

Independent Conservative Evangelical

Generally, Evangelicals have no opposition to organ and tissue donation. Each church is autonomous and leaves the

decision to donate up to the individual.

Islam

The religion of Islam strongly believes in the principle of saving human lives. According to A. Sachedina, in his

Transplantation Proceedings (1990) article, “Islamic Views on Organ Transplantation, "…the majority of the Muslim schol-

ars belonging to various schools of Islamic law have invoked the principle of the priority of saving human life and have

permitted the organ transplant as a necessity to procure that noble end."

Jehovah's Witness

According to the Watch Tower Society, Jehovah's Witnesses believe donation is a matter of individual decision.

Jehovah's Witnesses are often assumed to be against donation because of their opposition to blood transfusions.

However, this merely means that all blood must be removed from the organs and tissue before being transplanted.

Judaism

All four branches of Judaism (Orthodox, Conservative, Reform and Reconstructionist) support and encourage dona-tion. According to Orthodox Rabbi Moses Tendler, Chairman of the Biology Department of Yeshiva University in NewYork City and Chairman of the Bioethics Commission of the Rabbinical Council of America, "If one is in the position todonate an organ to save another's life, it's obligatory to do so, even if the donor never knows who the beneficiary willbe. The basic principle of Jewish ethics, ‘the infinite worth of the human being,' also includes donation of corneas, sinceeyesight restoration is considered a lifesaving operation." In 1991, the Rabbinical Council of America (Orthodox)approved organ donation as permissible, and even required, from brain dead patients. The Reform movement looksupon the transplant program favorably, and Rabbi Richard Address, Director of the Union of America HebrewCongregation Bio-Ethics Committee and Committee on Older Adults, states that "Judaic Response materials provide apositive approach, and by and large the North American Reform Jewish community approves of transplantation."

When asked how

different religions view organ and tissue donation, only one student out of 109 interview

ed answered that all m

ajor reli-gions support organ and tissue donation. This student w

as still skeptical of that belief and said: “I heard the premise that all m

ajor religions supportdonations. I don’t know

if they were just doing that for advertisem

ent purposes or whether it is really true or not.”

“

“

The Lutheran Church of America

Lutherans passed a resolution in 1984 stating that donation contributes to the well being of humanity and can be "an expression of

sacrificial love for a neighbor in need.” They call on "members to consider donating… and to make any necessary family and legal

arrangements, including the use of a signed donor card."

Mennonite

Mennonites have no formal position on donation, but are not opposed to it. They believe the decision to donate is up to the indi-

vidual and/or his or her family.

Moravian

The Moravian Church has made no statement addressing organ and tissue donation or transplantation. Robert E. Sawyer, President,

Provincial Elders Conference, Moravian Church of America, Southern Province, states, "There is nothing in our doctrine or policy that

would prevent a Moravian pastor from assisting a family in making a decision to donate or not to donate an organ." It is, therefore, a

matter of individual choice.

Mormon (Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints)

The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints believes the decision to donate is an individual one made in conjunction with family,

medical personnel, and prayer. Jerry Cahill, Director of Public Affairs for the Mormon Church, says, "Mormons must individually weigh

the advantages and disadvantages of transplantation and choose the one that will bring them peace and comfort. The Church does not

interpose any objection to an individual decision in favor of organ and tissue donation."

Pentecostal

Pentecostals believe that the decision to donate should be left up to the individual.

Presbyterian

Presbyterians encourage and support donation. They respect a person's right to make decisions regarding his or her own body.

Protestant

Protestants encourage and endorse organ donation. The Protestant faith respects an individual's conscience and a person's right to

make decisions regarding his or her own body. Reverend James W. Rassbach, Lutheran Board of Communication Services, Missouri-

Synod, says, "We accept and believe that our Lord Jesus Christ came to give life and give it in abundance. Organ donations enable

more abundant life, alleviate pain and suffering, and are an expression of love in times of tragedy."

Seventh-Day Adventist

Donation and transplantation are strongly encouraged. They have many transplant hospitals, including Loma Linda in California, which

specializes in pediatric heart transplants.


Shinto

In Shinto, the dead body is considered to be impure and dangerous, and thus quite powerful.

"In old belief context, injuring a dead body is a serious crime…" according to E. Namihira in his

article, “Shinto Concept Concerning the Dead Human Body.” "To this day, it is difficult to obtain

consent from bereaved families for organ donation or dissection for medical education or patho-

logical anatomy… the Japanese regard them all in the sense of injuring a dead body." Families are

often concerned that they not injure the itai, the relationship between the dead person and the

bereaved people.

Society of Friends (Quakers)

Organ and tissue donation is widely believed to be an individual decision. The Society of Friends

does not have an official position on donation.

Unitarian Universalist

Organ and tissue donation is widely supported by Unitarian Universalists. They view it as an act of

love and selfless giving.

United Church of Christ

Reverend Jay Lintner, Director,Washington Office of the United Church of Christ Office for Church in Society, states, "United Church

of Christ people, churches and agencies are extremely and overwhelmingly supportive of organ sharing. The General Synod has never

spoken to this issue because, in general, the Synod speaks on more controversial issues, and there is no controversy about organ shar-

ing, just as there is no controversy about blood donation in the denomination. Any organized effort to get the General Synod dele-

gates or individual churches to sign organ donation cards would meet with generally positive responses."

United Methodist

The United Methodist Church issued a policy statement regarding organ and tissue donation. In it they state, "The United Methodist

Church recognizes the life-giving benefits of organ and tissue donation, and thereby encourages all Christians to become organ and tis-

sue donors by signing and carrying donor cards or a driver's license, attesting to their commitment of such organs upon their death to

those in need, as a part of their ministry to others in the name of Christ, who gave His life that we might have life in its fullness." A

1992 resolution states, "Donation is to be encouraged, assuming appropriate safeguards against hastening death and determination of

death by reliable criteria." The resolution further states, "Pastoral-care persons should be willing to explore these options as a normal

part of conversation with patients and their families."

Donation and religion facts compiled with IOPO, JRI/Flow, Gift of Life Donor Program and CORE sources.


In three out of the 11 focusgroups, students indicated thatthey would donate simply inorder to help someone else.This perspective is exemplifiedby one student’s statement:“IfI didn’t do anything else rightat all, I would know that Igave some of me to some-one else so they could liveon.”

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Minorities and Donation

The need for organ transplants and the shortage of donors affects people of all ethnic backgrounds.

Individuals from minority groups should give strong consideration to donation, as transplantation between people who are stronggenetic matches is generally more successful. Approximately 25% of all organ donors represent minorities. Minorities make up 46% ofthe transplant waiting list, broken down as 26% African-Americans, 13% Hispanics, 5% Asians, and 2% identified as other.

Did you know that African-Americans are four times more likely to suffer from high blood pressure, which can lead to end-stage kid-ney failure and require a transplant? African-Americans make up 30% of the country's dialysis patients and one third of those waitingfor kidney transplants.

Did you know that diabetes, a leading cause of kidney failure in the US, is estimated to be four to six times more common inLatinos/Hispanic Americans? This group makes up almost 10% of those waiting for kidney transplants.

Did you know that 38% of Asian Americans suffer from end stage renal (kidney) disease due to diabetes? One cause of end stagerenal disease is glomerulonephritis. Asian Americans make up over 6% of patients waiting for kidney transplants and that number isgrowing each year.

Clearly, certain minority groups are more susceptible to the diseases that lead to the need for organ transplants. Education is essen-tial for these groups to better understand disease prevention and the benefits of organ donation and transplantation.

From URL: http://www.nationalmottep.org/

National Minority Donor Awareness Day

National Minority Donor Awareness Day (NMDAD), observed each year on August 1st, is an intensive awareness campaign reachingout to minorities of all ethnic groups. NMDAD focuses on the various [organ/tissue donation] fears and obstacles directly related tominorities. The objective is to promote healthy living and disease prevention, and to increase the number of people who sign donorcards, have family discussions, and actually become donors. In addition, NMDAD increases national awareness of the disproportionaterates of hypertension, diabetes, kidney, and other diseases that affect minorities at a much higher incidence than its counterparts. Also,this day of observance increases awareness of the behaviors that may lead to the need for transplantation, such as smoking, alcohol andsubstance abuse, and poor nutrition.

This particular day highlights donor families of all ethnic groups across the country including: African-Americans, Hispanics/Latinos,Asians, Alaska Natives, Pacific Islanders, and Native Americans. Activities held in observance of NMDAD include:

Prayer Breakfast Health Walks Donor Drives at Shopping Malls Tree Planting Ceremonies

From URL: http://www.nationalmottep.org/


Statistics

The United Network of Organ Sharing (UNOS) is a private, nonprofit organization that administers a national Organ Procurementand Transplantation Network (OPTN) and the U.S. Scientific Registry on Organ Transplantation under contracts with the U.S.Department of Health and Human Services. UNOS maintains the waiting list, matching patients awaiting transplantation with availableorgans. The following information can be found on their website.

On October 8, 2004, the OPTN National patient waiting list for organ transplant includes the following:

63,111 registrations for a kidney transplant17,870 registrations for a liver transplant1,664 registrations for a pancreas transplant321 registrations for a pancreas islet cell2,502 registrations for a kidney-pancreas transplant204 registrations for an intestine transplant3,390 registrations for a heart transplant185 registrations for a heart-lung transplant3,991 registrations for a lung transplant

93,238 Total Registrations

59,962 patients waiting for a kidney transplant17,471 patients waiting for a liver transplant1,644 patients waiting for a pancreas transplant314 patients waiting for a pancreas islet cell2,433 patients waiting for a kidney-pancreas transplant203 patients waiting for an intestine transplant3,381 patients waiting for a heart transplant185 patients waiting for a heart-lung transplant3,950 patients waiting for a lung transplant

86,958 Total Patients*

Note: OPTN/UNOS policies allow patients to be listed with more than one transplant center (multiple-listing), and thus the num-ber of registrations is greater than the actual number of patients.

*Some patients are waiting for more than one organ, therefore the total number of patients is less than the sum of the patients

waiting for each organ.

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Numbers of Transplants Performed, 2003**

15,137 kidney alone transplants (6,468 were living donors)5,671 liver transplants502 pancreas alone transplants870 kidney-pancreas transplants116 intestine transplants2,057 heart transplants29 heart-lung transplants25,467 lung transplants

25,467 Total

Number of Donors Recovered, 2003**6,457 Deceased Donors6,820 Living13,277 Total

During 2003, 6,271 patients were removed from the OPTN National patients waiting list for reason of death.**

**Based on OPTN data as of October 1, 2004. Double kidney, double lung and heart-lung transplant are counted as one transplant.

Note: Data subject to change due to future data submission or correction.

As of October 4, 2004, OPTN membership included the following:

257 Transplant Centers3 Consortium Members58 Independent Organ Procurement Organizations (OPOs)150 Histocompatibility Laboratories8 Voluntary Health Organizations12 General Public Members25 Medical/Scientific Organizations410 Total*

** There are 8 OPTN members that operate both transplant centers and in-house OPOs and 95 that operate both transplant cen-ters and in-house histocompatibility laboratories. These members are included in both the count of transplant centers and operatingOPOs. For this reason, the total number of members is less than the sum of the different categories.

As of October 4, 2004 257 medical institutions in the United States operate an organ transplant program.These transplant centers can be separated into organ specific programs that include the following active pro-grams:

246 Kidney Transplant Programs123 Liver Transplant Programs138 Pancreas Transplant Programs45 Pancreas Islet Cell Transplant Programs46 Intestine Transplant Programs134 Heart Transplant Programs60 Heart-Lung Transplant Programs68 Lung Transplant Programs860 Total



The Critical Thinkingand Decision-MakingDomain

The Critical Thinkingand Decision-MakingDomain

The Critical Thinking and Decision-Making Domain

A Real-Life Story

Tale of Two FamiliesGloria, recipientGloria was an active 37-year-old wife and the working mother of two small children when on-going tiredness sent her to the doctor.

Sure that she was just "stressed out," Gloria was amazed when the doctors reported that her blood work indicated the possibility ofhepatitis. Gloria was told to go home and rest, so she left work early and went home to take a nap. Weeks later, Gloria awoke from acoma to discover that she had a new liver. "I was angry and frustrated when I woke. I thought someone had taken my liver and givenit away. I was in a hospital, and I knew nothing about how or why I was there! My husband's hair had turned gray. My mother looked10 years older. I learned that my children had been told their mother was not coming home. Then came the grief as I realized thatsomeone's death had made my new liver available for transplant. And as I looked at my family's faces, their pain, I knew that some-where another family was going through the same thing...and I grieved for them."

Bobby, donorSuzi and Melissa, donor family members - The week before Thanksgiving 1992, Bobby, husband and father, collapsed at work

with a brain aneurysm. His wife, Suzi, and their children, Melissa and Matt, rushed to a hospital a few miles from where Gloria lay in acoma. As Bobby was being prepared for surgery, another aneurysm destroyed his brain stem, causing his death. Offered the option ofdonation, Suzi found comfort in the idea that Bobby "would be walking with us somewhere on this earth." But 16-year-old Melissa wasopposed to the idea. She reconsidered after imagining that another girl's father might be helped. The family consented to donation.

Their Story - Months later, Melissa wrote to her father's recipients, using only first names. The organ procurement organizationthat helped recover her father's organs arranged the delivery of the letters to protect the privacy of donors and recipients. Melissareceived only one response, a letter from Gloria, the recipient of her dad's liver. Suzi was moved by the warmth and sensitivity of theletter. Melissa and Gloria continued to correspond, but didn't plan to meet, until fate took that out of their hands the day both familiesattended a ceremony honoring donor families. Suzi recognized Gloria, whose picture had appeared in a brochure, gathered up herfamily, and walked forward to meet the family who three years earlier had become a part of her family's life.

In the years since Gloria and Suzi met, they have spoken together many times of the benefits of donation and transplantation––inpublic presentations and privately. Often, they hold hands as they talk. Gloria has told Suzi of her grief for Suzi's loss and her intentionto be sure she is deserving of Bobby's gift. Suzi says that her grief "turned to joy when I discovered that my husband's death was notfinal but had given five people a chance to live." Melissa, who wrote in that first letter to Gloria that she hoped a child had receivedone of her dad's organs and could live to grow up, understands now that the gift that saved Gloria's life also "saved" the lives of her sonArylon and daughter Aquia, who came so close to becoming motherless at ages nine and six. Gloria and family, who attended Melissa'swedding, now are celebrating with Suzi the birth of Melissa's little boy, Robert.

From URL: http://www.organdonor.gov/lives.html

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Introduction to Critical Thinking and Decision-Making Domain

The goal of the Critical Thinking and Decision-Making Domain is to assist secondary students in developing and demonstrating thedecision-making and problem-solving skills they will need to make an informed decision related to organ and tissue donation.

Five skills are addressed in the domain. One skill students will learn is how to ask the right questions. The student will be able toarticulate existing knowledge about organ and tissue donation and determine what questions need to be answered in order to makean informed decision about becoming a donor. Another skill to be addressed is the ability to involve the right people and resources.The student will be able to identify who needs to be included in the decision-making process and be able to decide which resourcesare appropriate to answer the questions posed. A third skill to be discussed will be the ability to gather and analyze information. Thestudent will research available resources and compile information on organ and tissue donation, simultaneously comparing new informa-tion with existing knowledge and answering questions. A fourth skill the student will explore will be the ability to make a decision andshare it with the important people in his or her life. The student will be able to reflect on knowledge, thoughts and feelings aboutorgan and tissue donation, examine the choices and make an informed decision. In addition, the student will recognize the value in dis-cussing this decision with other family members for their insight and for them to understand how the student feels about organ and tis-sue donation should something catastrophic happen in the future. Finally, students will learn to revisit past decisions as a way to re-eval-uate decision-making, growth and self-reflection.

Central High School in Erie, PA successfully illustrated the importance of the Critical Thinking and Decision-Making Domain. CentralHigh School continued work on organ and tissue donation awareness by preparing a short program for fourth grade students in anearby elementary school. The program, “Recycle Yourself - The Kids in the Central Community,” consisted of a variety of activities andgroup participation to inform the children about organ and tissue donation. Before their students could share information on donationwith the elementary students, they had to become experts on the topic. Staff members adjusted their content areas, presenting infor-mation that related to organ and tissue donation, so that information could be shared at approximately the same time, for a cross-cur-ricular presentation. The information had to be completed before the students were scheduled to do their presentation at the localelementary school. The team, consisting of 12 teachers, included the efforts of many students. Students, armed with the expertise onthe subject of organ and tissue donation, created activities that would aid in explaining donation to younger children. Some concernsfor all students was that they did not want to scare the children by making donation a ghoulish thing, and they needed to bring infor-mation down to their age and academic level. The presentation was an absolute success. Both Central students and GlenwoodElementary students were very pleased with the presentation. The many planned activities were fun, as well as very informative.



This lesson plan strives to reinforce students’ need to gain the appropriate knowledge necessary to make an informed decision inrelation to organ and tissue donation. Students will understand the decision-making process by going through the steps in making aninformed decision. Students will follow the steps needed to make a decision on the issue of organ and tissue donation. Students willalso understand reasons for people to decide to sign or not sign the organ donor card and recognize that there are not enough organsavailable for those who are in need because of the decisions made.

The Decisions of a Lifetime

Objectives

1. Upon completion, students will understand the decision-making process by going through the steps in making an informed decision.

2. During the activity, students will follow the steps needed to make a decision on the issue of organ and tissue donation.

3. Upon completion, students will understand reasons for people to decide to sign or not to sign the organ donor card.

4. Upon completion, students will recognize that there are not enough organs available for those who are in need because of the

decisions made.

Standards Match

Family and Consumer Science

11.2.9.A 11.2.9B 11.2.12G

Activity1. Review the steps in the decision-making process. Using an overhead transparency, discuss decision-making and how it relates

personally and the effects on society as a whole.2. Use the decision-making form to evaluate students’ feelings about organ and tissue donation.3. Show how a person really feels about organ donation by supporting their view in The Funny Paper assignment.4. Create cards before the beginning of class that say, “I need a heart,” “I need a liver,” “I need a kidney,” etc. Other cards will say,

“you will be killed in an automobile accident,” “you will die of cancer,” “you are healthy,” etc. At the beginning of the class, give students cards and have them write either “yes” or “no” without answering the question. They will receive one card of each––make sure there are more people needing organs than those available. Discuss with students the lack of people donating and those that die due to the lack of the decision to sign.

Assessment1. Completion of worksheets2. Participation rubric (not included)

Materials Needed1. Resource sheet – decision-making transparency master2. Decision-making chart – enough for each student or team3. Cards for organ need activity4. Decision form – enough for each student5. The Funny Paper worksheet – enough for each student

Time RequiredOne week of classroom time (if necessary, the Funny Paper worksheet can be completed as homework).

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Decision-Making - Definitions and Examples1. Decision-Making – a thought put in a system’s view of information processing

• Options – choice among alternatives• Option Glut – system overload that causes stress

2. Goal Conflicts – when two goals get in the way of succeeding• After-school job versus football team• Your goal and those of family or friends

3. Value Conflicts – what you want and what is right• Honesty versus loyalty• Family––home by midnight versus friends––stay out late

4. Role Conflict – different roles in different systems• Social system roles• Family system roles• Educational system roles

5. Types of decisions• Social decision – involves considering the similarities and differences among those involved in the decision• Economics decisions – involves the financial options• Technical decisions – focuses on the procedure or means to carry out the decision

6. Time – considered in decision-making• Society and cultures experience time differently• Delayed gratification – not looking for the immediate satisfaction

7. Weighing risks – cost must be weighed against benefit you anticipate• Benefit ratio• Risk analysis

8. Accepting Responsibility – decision, whether positive or negative, one must process the information• Excuses – sign of not accepting responsibility• Rationalization – kind of "cover story" to protect image

9. Procrastination – putting things off• Conflict between standards and performance• "It doesn’t have to be done perfectly, it just has to get done"

Some examples of decisions to make related to organ and tissue donation:• Should I sign the donor card or not?• Effects of donation on my life• Effects of donation on my family• Donation as a moral decision• Effects of donation on society• I need an organ. How do I get one?• Donation and my religious belief

Decision-Making Format

1. Problem: (define)

Should I become an organ donor and sign the donor card?

2. Facts bearing on the problem

3. List courses of action

A.

B.

C.

4. Discuss courses of action

A.

B.

C.

5. Recommendations (Give ideas of what you think and why.)

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1

3

4

2

The Funny Papers

Name _______________________________ Date _________________

Instructions: Now it’s your turn. In the four spaces provided, create a cartoon sequence that supports your view on organ and

tissue donation. Don’t worry if you are not an artist; your drawings can be very simple to get the point across.

Quiz: Organ Donation

Are the following statements true or false?

1. Each day, 60 people receive an organ transplant. True____ False____

2. Each day, 17 people die waiting for a transplant. True____ False____

3. All organ donations in this country go through a local organ True____ False____procurement agency; you cannot buy or sell an organ.

4. Organ donation costs the donor’s family nothing. True____ False___

5. Donated organs are removed surgically in a routine operation, True____ False___and the donor may still have an open casket.

6. Donors can be in any age range. True____ False___

7. Donors may specify which organs and tissue they wish to donate. True____ False___

8. The medical team treating the potential donor is completely True____ False___separate from the medical team that performs the transplant.

9. An organ procurement organization is not notified until all True____ False___lifesaving efforts have failed and the donor is declared brain dead.

10. Information about the donor is released to the recipient only True____ False___if the donor family requests that it be provided.

11. Currently, 25 different tissues and organs may be transplanted. True____ False___

12. Organ transplant success rates are as high as 95 percent. True____ False___

13. Most of the world’s religions support organ donation. True____ False___

14. Even if the deceased has executed a document indicating thathe or she is an organ donor, it does not guarantee that the deceased’s wishes will be carried out; the family must agree. True____ False___

15. One donor may help more than 50 people in need. True____ False___

16. As of October 2004, 59,962 people were on the waiting True____ False___list for a kidney.

17. Polls show that the vast majority of Americans support organ True____ False___donation, but less than half of all potential organs are donated.

18. Donors are often people in good health who have suddenly died. True____ False___

19. The lack of family consent is a primary reason that there is True____ False___a shortage of organs for transplant.

20. In Pennsylvania, you are asked at the Department of Motor Vehicles if you want to True____ False___designate. It is printed in green lettering on the front of the license, below the photo.

The 20 statements listed above are all TRUE. Remember to inform your family of your decision to become anorgan donor. Their consent, after your death, will be necessary to insure that your wishes are carried out.


This lesson plan strives to reinforce the economics behind organ and tissue donation. Students will be able to identify the variouscosts of organ and tissue transplant from procurement and transplantation to long-term care, and to identify the role of supply anddemand in determining these costs. Students will also research how a patient may pay for all these incurred costs.

The Cost of A Transplant Procedure

ObjectivesUpon completion, students will be able to identify the various costs of organ and tissue transplant from procurement and transplanta-tion to long-term care, and to identify the role of supply and demand in determining these costs.

Standards MatchPennsylvania Academic Standards for :Economics

6.2.12A 6.2.12B 6.2.12E 6.2.12I 6.2.12K6.3.12A 6.3.12C

Activity1. In small groups, students will research and document the cost of organ and tissue transplant, specifying the cost of each step

in the transplant procedure, including obtaining the organ, transplantation, hospital stay, surgical fees, rehabilitation, long-term care,and drugs/other pharmaceutical needs of the patient over the course of their expected lifetime.

2. Research how the patient pays for all of this. Students will choose from single organ transplant or multi-organ/tissue transplants for the cost analysis.

AssessmentSuccessful completion of the cost analysis

Materials Needed1. Internet2. Medical Journals

Time Required1-2 weeks of classroom and homework time



Domain: Critical Thinking and Decision-Making

Topic Indicators: 5.1 – Asking the right questions

5.3 – Gathering and Analyzing Information

Making the Decision to become a Living Donor

In addition to deceased donor transplants, patients may also receive organs from living donors. In 2003, there were 25,451 organ

transplants performed in the United States. More than 6,800 of these were living donor transplants. Living donation offers an alterna-

tive for individuals awaiting transplantation and increases the existing organ supply.

Facts About Living Donation

The first successful living donor transplant was performed between 23-year-old identical twins in 1954. Doctor Joseph E. Murray at

Peter Bent Brigham Hospital in Boston, MA transplanted a healthy kidney from Ronald Herrick into his twin brother, Richard, who had

chronic kidney failure. Richard Herrick went on to live an active, normal life, dying eight years later from causes unrelated to the trans-

plant.

Since that time, thousands of patients have received successful transplants from living donors. Living donation is handled by the cen-

ter or hospital doing the transplant and parents, children, siblings, and other relatives are eligible to donate organs to family members.

Unrelated donors (e.g. spouses or close friends) may also donate their organs if they provide a match for the recipients. Living

"stranger-to-stranger" donation is a quite new and growing source of donors. For more information on this type of living donation, con-

tact your local organ procurement organization (OPO) or transplant program.

Organ Types for Living Donation

Living donor transplants are a viable alternative for patients in need of new organs. Many different types of organs can be delivered

by living donors, including:

Single Kidney

This is the most frequent type of living organ donation. For the donor, there is little risk in living with one kidney; the remaining

kidney compensates to do the work of both kidneys.

Liver

Individuals can donate segments of the liver, which has the ability to regenerate the segment that was donated and regain full

function.

Lung

In this type of living donation, individuals donate lobes of the lung. Lung lobes do not regenerate.

Pancreas

Individuals can also donate a portion of the pancreas. Like the lung, the pancreas does not regenerate, but donors usually have

no problems with reduced function.

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Domino Transplant

Makes some heart-lung recipients living heart donors. When a patient receives a heart-lung "bloc" from a deceased donor, his or

her healthy heart may be given to an individual waiting for a heart transplant. This procedure is used when physicians determine

that the deceased donor lungs will function best if they are used in conjunction with the deceased donor heart.

Qualifications for Living Donors

In order to qualify as a living donor, an individual must be physically fit, in good general health, and free from high blood pressure, dia-

betes, cancer, kidney disease, and heart disease. Individuals considered for living donation are usually between 18-60 years of age.

Gender and race are not factors in determining a successful match.

The living donor must first undergo a blood test to determine blood type compatibility with the recipient. If the donor and the

recipient have compatible blood types, the donor then undergoes a medical history review and a complete physical examination. The

following tests may be performed:

Tissue Typing: The donor's blood is drawn for tissue typing of the white blood cells.

Crossmatching: A blood test is done before the transplant to see if the potential recipient will react to the donor organ. If

the crossmatch is "positive," then the donor and patient are incompatible. If the crossmatch is "negative," then the transplant

may proceed. Crossmatching is routinely performed for kidney and pancreas transplants.

Antibody Screen: An antibody is a protein substance made by the body's immune system in response to an antigen (a

foreign substance; for example, a transplanted organ, blood transfusion, virus or pregnancy). Because the antibodies attack the

transplanted organ, the antibody screen tests for panel reactive antibody (PRA). The white blood cells of the donor and the

serum of the recipient are mixed to see if there are antibodies in the recipient that react with the antigens of the donor.

Urine Tests: In the case of a kidney donation, urine samples are collected for 24 hours to assess the donor's kidney function.

X-rays: A chest X-ray and an electrocardiogram (EKG) are performed to screen the donor for heart and lung disease.

Arteriogram: This final set of tests involves injecting a liquid that is visible under X-ray into the blood vessels to view the

organ to be donated. This procedure is usually done on an outpatient basis, but in some cases it may require an overnight

hospital stay.

Psychiatric and/or Psychological Evaluation: The donor and the recipient may undergo a psychiatric and/or psychological

evaluation.

The decision to become a living donor is a voluntary one, and the donor may change his or her mind at any time during the

process. The donor's decision and reasons are kept confidential.


About the Surgical Procedure of Living Kidney DonationWhile procedures may differ for the living donation of organs, such as liver or lung, the most common living donor procedure

involves the kidney. Traditionally for living kidney donation, the donor is admitted to the transplant hospital the day before the opera-tion. The anesthesiologist and the transplant team meet with the donor to explain the surgical procedure. Laboratory tests, bloodwork, a chest X-ray, and an EKG may again be performed to verify the donor's health status. If the operation is to be performed thenext morning, the donor is asked not to eat or drink anything after midnight. Shortly before the operation, an intravenous line is con-nected to a vein in the donor's arm so that medications and fluid can be given during the operation. A catheter will also be inserted todrain urine from the bladder. The recipient's transplant operation follows the donor's operation.

The donor may spend several hours in the recovery room after the operation. Immediately after the operation, a nurse will ask thedonor to turn, cough, and breathe deeply to help clear the lungs of secretions. This will be repeated every two hours to prevent pneu-monia or other respiratory difficulties associated with the use of anesthesia during the operation. Several hours after the operation, thedonor is encouraged to get out of bed and walk around. The I.V. and catheter may remain in place for a few days. The donor maybegin eating and drinking again after recovery of bowel function. After five to eight days, the donor may return home. A post-opera-tive check-up follows in two to four weeks. The donor is encouraged not to attempt any heavy lifting or rough contact sports until atleast six weeks after the operation. If no complications arise, the donor may return to work four weeks after surgery.

There is an alternate procedure used to recover a kidney from a living donor. The more traditional procedure (described above)involves a surgical incision around the donor's lower back and side. In recent years, laparoscopy has been used in some cases to recoverkidneys from the donor's abdomen (In laparoscopy, surgical instruments are inserted into the body through a series of small incisions.).While laparoscopy involves a smaller incision and a potentially shorter recovery time for the donor, the transplant team must decidewhich procedure will offer the fewest potential risks and the greatest likelihood for success for the individual operation.

Risks Involved in Living DonationAs with any major operation, there are risks involved in donating an organ. All patients experience some pain and discomfort after

an operation. It is possible for kidney donors to develop infections or bleeding. In donation of a portion of the liver or pancreas, theliver or spleen may be injured.

Although many donors report a very positive experience, it is possible for negative psychological consequences to result from livingdonation. Living donors may feel pressured by their families into donating an organ. They may feel guilty if they are reluctant to gothrough with the procedure. Feelings of resentment may occur if the recipient rejects the donated organ. Living donors must be madeaware of the physical and psychological risks involved before they consent to donate an organ. They should discuss their feelings, ques-tions, and concerns with a transplant professional and/or social worker.

Positive Aspects of Living DonationLiving donation has several advantages. Living donation eliminates the recipient's need for placement on the national waiting list.

Transplant surgery can be scheduled at a mutually agreed upon time rather than performed as an emergency operation. Because theoperation can be scheduled in advance, the recipient may begin taking immunosuppressant drugs two days before the operation. Thisdecreases the risk of organ rejection.

Transplants from living donors are often more successful, because there is a better tissue match between the living donor and therecipient. This higher rate of compatibility also decreases the risk of organ rejection.

113

Perhaps the most important aspect of living donation is the psychological benefit in living donation. The recipient can experiencepositive feelings knowing that the gift came from a loved one or a caring stranger. The donor experiences the satisfaction of knowingthat he or she has contributed to the improved health of the recipient.

Costs Related to Living DonationHealth insurance coverage varies for living donation. If the recipient is covered by a private insurance plan, most insurance compa-

nies pay 100 percent of the donor's expenses. If the recipient is covered by Medicare's end-stage renal disease program, Medicare PartA pays all of the donor's medical expenses, including preliminary testing, the transplant operation and post-operative recovery costs.Medicare Part B pays for physician services during the hospital stay. Medicare covers follow-up care if complications arise following thedonation.

Other Sources of Information

This fact sheet is the first step in learning about living donation. To find your region's OPO or a local transplant program, use the

Member Directory.

Bibliography BIOCOM (Producer). The Living Donor [Videotape]. Richmond, VA: Southeastern Organ Procurement Foundation, 1987. Callender, Clive O."Legal and Ethical Issues Surrounding Transplantation: The Transplant Team Perspective." In D. H. Cowan, M.D., J.D., J. A. Kantorowitz, J.D., J.Moskowitz, Ph.D. and P. H. Rheinstein, M.D, J.D., eds., Human Organ Transplantation: Societal, Medical-Legal, Regulatory and Reimbursement

Issues (pp. 42-52). Ann Arbor, MI: Health Administration Press, 1987.Craven, J., and Rodin, G. M., eds. Psychiatric Aspects of Organ Transplantation. New York, NY: Oxford University Press, 1992.Durrett, Deanne. Organ Transplants. San Diego, CA: Lucent Books, 1993.Garella, S., M.D., and Mattern,W. D., M.D. Kidney Disease: A Guide for Patients and their Families. Rockville, MD: The American Kidney Fund

Public Information Series, 1987.Kidney Transplant Services Manual. Richmond, VA: Virginia Transplant Center at Henrico Doctor's Hospital, 1985.Living-Related Donor Transplantation Manual.Wichita, KS: St. Francis Regional Medical Center, 1983.Living-Related Kidney Donation Manual. Los Angeles, CA: Cedars-Sinai Medical Center, 1987.Moriss, P. J. Kidney Transplantation: Principles and Practice. Philadelphia, PA: W. B. Saunders Co., 1984.Russell, S., and Jacob, R. G. (1993). "Living-Related Organ Donation: The Donor's Dilemma." Patient Education and Counseling, 21 (1-2),

89-99.Sankari, B. R.,Wyner, L. M., and Streem, S. B. (1994). "Living-Unrelated Donor Renal Transplantation." Urologic Clinics of North America, 21 (2), 293-8.Terasaki, P. I., and Cecka, J. M., eds. Clinical Transplants 1997. Los Angeles, CA: UCLA Tissue Typing Laboratory, 1998.Tokunaga,Y.,Tanaka, K., Fujita, S., et. al. (1993). "Living-Related Liver Transplantation across ABO Blood Groups with FK506 and OKT3."

Transplant International, 6 (6), 313-8.

From URL: http://www.optn.org/about/donation/livingDonation.aspReprinted with permission.



Teacher Tip!

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

If I sign a donor card, will it affect the quality of medical care I receive?

No! Every effort is made to save your life before donation is considered. Donors receive the same high quality care that non-

donors receive. Medical personnel must follow very strict guidelines before they can pronounce death and remove the donor’s organs

and tissues. The first priority for the medical personnel is to save the lives of all patients. Organ and tissue donation is not even dis-

cussed until every life-saving option is exhausted and death has been declared or is imminent. The doctors and nurses at the medical

center are completely separate from those who work for the organ procurement organization (OPO). Donation occurs as an option

when there is nothing more that can be done to save the donor’s life.

Who can become a donor?

All individuals can indicate their intent to donate. Medical suitability for donation is determined at the time of death. Anyone can be

a potential organ and tissue donor, from newborns to senior citizens. Eligibility is determined on a case-by-case basis at the time of

death and may be affected by medical history, the cause of death and other factors.

Are there age limits for donors?

There are no age limitations on who can donate. The deciding factor on whether a person can donate is the person’s physical con-

dition, not the person’s age. Newborns, as well as senior citizens, have been organ donors. Persons under 18 years of age must have a

parent or guardian’s consent.

What organs can be donated?

The heart, lungs, liver, kidneys, pancreas and intestines can be donated.

What tissues can be donated?

• Cardiovascular tissue, such as heart valves and saphenous veins.

• Eye tissue, such as corneas and whole eyes.

• Bone tissue, such as ribs, bones of the arm, leg, shoulder, hip, ankle, spine and jaw.

• Connective tissue, such as ligaments, tendons, cartilage and fascia.

• Skin grafts from the front and back of the legs and the chest.

What is the difference between organ and tissue donation?

Most of the time organ donation can only be done on a donor who has been declared brain dead, but whose other organs are kept

functioning by sophisticated hospital machinery. Because brain death is not a common occurrence, viable organ donors are rare. Tissue

donation can occur even after the heart has ceased beating. Most deaths produce potential tissue donors (depending on the medical

history). Organ donors can also be tissue donors.

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Where can I get a donor card?

Donor cards are available at most motor vehicle departments (where you get your driver’s license), hospitals, health agencies, and

government agencies. You can also contact your local coalition for a donor card, or call for a free brochure on donation and a donor

card by dialing 1-877-DONOR-PA.

Can I choose what is donated?

Yes. On your donor card you can specify what you want to donate, or what you may wish not to donate. You also have the option

to choose donation for transplantation and/or for research. Some people choose whole body donation, others all organs and tissue.

Some specify certain organs or tissues, some opt for transplantation only––others wish to donate for further research. It’s completely

up to you and your family. Share your decision and wishes with your family; it will make donation decisions much easier on them if they

know your wishes.

What are the benefits of organ donation?

All organ transplants are life saving, except for kidney and pancreas transplants, which are considered to enhance the recipient’s qual-

ity of life. Kidney transplantation frees the recipient from needing dialysis, and, in many instances, does save or lengthen the life of the

patient.

Would my family member feel any pain if his or her organs were donated?

No. The person is dead and no longer feels pain.

Will donation disfigure my body? Can there be an open casket funeral?

Donation does not disfigure the body and does not interfere with funeral plans, including open-casket services. In organ and tissue

donation, the body is treated with a great deal of respect and dignity. An open-casket funeral may be planned and no one, except

those directly involved, will know about the donation. Prosthetic devices are used with bone and eye donation to maintain body form.

The families of most donors can opt for open-casket funerals, depending on custom and the original injuries.

Does organ and tissue donation delay funeral arrangements?

Donation typically does not delay funeral arrangements. Any special arrangements would be discussed at the time of donation.

What do religious groups think about organ and tissue donation?

Most religions throughout the world support organ and tissue donation. If you have concerns about your religion’s position, you are

encouraged to discuss this with your own religious advisor.

Why should minorities be particularly concerned about organ donation?

Race does not play a part in the allocation of organs. Some diseases of the kidney, heart, lung, pancreas and liver are found more

frequently among specific racial or ethnic populations. For example, African Americans, Asians, Pacific Islanders, and Hispanics are three

times more likely to suffer from end-stage renal disease than Caucasians. Native Americans are four times more likely than Caucasians

to suffer from diabetes. Some of these diseases are best treated through transplantation; others can only be treated through transplan-

tation.


Successful transplantation often is enhanced by the matching of organs between members of the same ethnic and racial group. For

example, an African American patient is often less likely to reject a kidney if it is donated by an individual who is also African American.

A shortage of organs donated by minorities can contribute to longer waiting periods for transplants for minorities and potentially death.

For more information on minorities and organ donation and transplantation, contact Minority Organ Tissue Transplantation Education

Program (MOTTEP) at 202-865-4888, United Network for Organ Sharing (UNOS) at ww.unos.org, or the Department of Health &

Human Services at ww.organdonor.gov.

Are there any costs to my family for donation?

No! Donor families are only responsible for the emergency care their loved one received prior to brain death and funeral costs.

Procurement agencies pay the costs associated with recovery of organs and tissue from donors. Donor families are not responsible for

any additional costs.

Can people sell their organs, tissues, or body?

No! The National Organ Transplant Act makes it ILLEGAL to sell human organs and tissues in the United States. Violators are sub-

ject to fines and imprisonment.

How are organs and tissues recovered?

Organs are recovered in a sterile operating room, using qualified surgical personnel and protocols. Tissue is often recovered in oper-

ating rooms, but can also be recovered in sterile surgical facilities at medical examiners’ offices or at some mortuaries. All donations are

a precious gift and are treated with respect and dignity. Standard surgical sutures or staples are used to close the incisions, just as with

any operation. If needed following tissue donation, prosthetic devices will be used to maintain the body’s original form.

Can I change my mind?

Yes. Just tear up your donor card. Follow local regulations if your donor status is indicated on your driver’s license. Make sure you

tell your family your decision.

What is done to ensure the transplant recipient’s safety?

Every effort is made to ensure the safety of organ and tissue donations. Each donor is meticulously screened for any infectious dis-

eases, and a social history is gathered.

What are the benefits of tissue transplantation?

Tissue transplants enhance the quality of life of the recipient, except for skin, which saves more lives than all tissues and organs com-

bined. Listed below are some the ways tissue is used to help recipients:

• Skin grafts for burn victims

• Fusing of spinal defects to reduce pain

• Replacement of benign cystic bone defects to improve mobility

• Replacement of cancerous bone tumors to prevent amputation

• Straightening and strengthening of spines distorted by scoliosis

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• Replacement of hipbones to restore mobility

• Reconstruction of jaw and other bones to restore normal facial appearance

• Restoration of sight and prevention of blindness

• Heart bypass surgery through use of saphenous veins

• Restoration of blood flow through use of saphenous veins

• Replacement of defective heart valves

• Repair damaged ligaments, cartilage and tendons for improved mobility

Can the donor’s family receive any feedback after donation?

Yes. The family can request to receive information regarding how the various donated organs or tissues

helped recipients.

Can recipients contact the donor’s family? And how can the donor family contact the

recipients of their loved one’s organs?

Recipients of donated organs often want to find out specifics about the person that donated the organ

they received. Also, many families that donate their relative’s organs wish to know where and to whom the

organs went. In general, the identity of the donor and the recipients of the organs is kept confidential to protect

the privacy of each party. However, there is no law that donors and recipients cannot meet and know each other’s

names. In fact, letters of gratitude from organ recipients to donor families are encouraged. This right to privacy does not

have to be waived for there to be an exchange of letters or cards between the two groups.

If someone wears glasses, has cataracts or glaucoma, can the person donate corneas?

Yes. Poor vision, cataracts and glaucoma do not eliminate someone’s ability to donate. Suitability is evaluated on a case-by-case

basis.

What does the recovery process involve?

Unlike what is seen on television, there is no contact between the medical team treating an individual in a life-saving situation and

the transplant team that will recover the organs, tissue or corneas. Once the decision to donate has been made, an OPO contacts the

transplant surgeons who will perform the surgery to recover the organs. An OPO staff member, called a recovery coordinator, accom-

panies the surgeons to the donor hospital. The recovery coordinator also is responsible for ensuring that the organs are prepared

appropriately for transport to the hospital where the transplant will be performed. Once the organs are recovered, the recovery coor-

dinators then will recover the tissue and corneas, if consent has been obtained. The surgical procedure to recover organs, tissue and

corneas will not disfigure the body, and the donor may have an open-casket viewing.

How many people can be helped through donation?

One organ, tissue and corneal donor directly may help between 200 and 400 people, sometimes more, sometimes less. Organs can

help others though life-saving transplants. Corneas renew sight, and tissue may help to restore someone’s ability to walk, run or move

freely without pain.


Nationally there are

twice as many tissue

donors as organ

donors.


Who can be a donor?

Anyone can make the decision to be a donor. Few illnesses would prevent donation, but the ability to donate is determined on a

case-by-case basis at the time of death.

If I die of a heart attack, can I be an organ donor?

No. For traditional organ donation, a person needs to be in a hospital, on a ventilator, pronounced brain dead. If someone dies of a

heart attack, that person may donate tissue and corneas, but not organs.

What is brain death?

Brain death results most often from severe head injuries caused by strokes, motor vehicle accidents, shootings, acute allergic reac-

tions or some illnesses. When the injury or illness permanently cuts the blood and oxygen supply to the brain, the brain stops working.

If the brain stops working, the body will stop working and die. Brain death is permanent and irreversible.

How is it decided who receives organs?

Donated organs are given to patients based on the match between the donor and intended recipient’s height, weight, and blood

type; medical urgency; and time on the waiting list. In spite of another common myth, a person’s wealth, age, race and gender do not

affect who receives organs.

Why fill out a donor card when the organ donor designation appears on the driver’s license?

The donor card allows you to express special wishes regarding donation. It also enables you to present a portion of the card to

your family to ensure that your family is aware of your decision.

How else can I help?

You can help by making a contribution to the Governor Robert P. Casey Memorial Organ and Tissue Donation Awareness Trust

Fund, which helps support donor awareness and education programs in Pennsylvania. Simply add a dollar to the driver’s license fee or

car registration renewal fee to help educate others about the importance of organ and tissue donation.

FAQs compiled with IOPO, JRI/Flow,The Gift of Life Donor Program and CORE sources

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The Working withCommunityResources Domain

The Working withCommunityResources Domain

The Working with Community Resources Domain

A Real-Life Story

I was born and raised in Pennsylvania, and attended Catholic grade school and high school in Bucks County. I had no significant

medical problems as an adolescent, and did very well in school. In 1978, I graduated from Temple University, Summa Cum Laude, Phi

Beta Kappa, with a BA in history. I went on to Villanova Law School, graduating in 1981. I worked as an Associate Attorney at the firm

of Sidkoff, Pincus, and Green, P.C. and made partner in five years. I married in 1984 and have two children, Natalie, born December 4,

1986 and Jimmy, born July 6, 1990.

In 1996, I was found to be suffering from liver disease, in particular, cirrhosis of the liver. Many different procedures were attempted

to stop the bleeding in my stomach, which was a direct result of the scarring in my liver. I was literally bleeding to death internally and I

was in need of weekly blood transfusions. My family and I were terribly frightened by my grave condition. Although never before on a

transplant list, I was transferred to Einstein Medical Center from ICU at Doylestown Hospital and went to the top of the list. After only

three and a half weeks, I received a liver transplant on August 5, 1999. At that time, very little was offered in the field of rehabilitation

for transplant recipients. While still suffering from complications from the transplant, I began educating myself in the fields of fitness and

health. Once the main complications from the transplant surgery had been rectified, I joined a health club and worked with a trainer to

rehabilitate myself physically.

Through the Gift of Life Program, I tried to contact the donor family that had saved my life. My letter has never been answered. I

wish that I could thank them personally for my second chance at life, which has allowed me to be a true “Mom” to my children.

In June, 2002, I participated in the Transplant Olympic Games in Florida as a member of the Philadelphia Team. I won the silver

medal in the 100-meter sprint and a bronze medal in three on three basketball. The Transplant Games highlight the need for organ

donations and celebrate the lives that have been saved by transplantation. A special ceremony commemorates the donors and their

families.

My newfound interest in fitness led me to return to Temple in the fall of 2002 in order to earn the credits necessary to become cer-

tified in Pennsylvania as a Health and Physical Education teacher. As a teacher, I would like to highlight the skills necessary for children

to maintain their good health, and to teach the pressing need for organ donations. My children are my first candidates for this educa-

tion, but I would like to make a career in health education.

Since the fall of 2001, I have been employed as an Emergency Substitute Teacher with the Central Bucks School District. I am a vol-

unteer with the Family Services Buddy Program in Bucks County where I provide emotional and social support to individuals suffering

from AIDS. I am a member of the Board of the Bucks County Council on Alcoholism and Drug Dependence, and the Chair of the Act

106 Committee of Pro-Act, a nationally recognized recovery program in Pennsylvania. In October 2002, I won an award from the

School of Public Health of Boston University School of Medicine for the work on Substance Abuse Treatment that my committee has

done in Harrisburg, Pennsylvania.

I feel that transplant education would be an excellent addition to every school health curriculum. Children could hear the remark-

able stories of lives saved by transplantation, and experience some of the wonder of this medical miracle. Students would also find

examples of selfless sacrifice for the betterment of others, sometimes a complete stranger to the donor and donor family.

Story reprinted with permission of the author.


Introduction to Working with Community Resources Domain

The goal of the Working with Community Resources Domain is to make secondary education students aware of the many commu-

nity resources related to organ and tissue donation that are available to them. There are community organizations that dedicate their

existence and mission to providing the community (schools, businesses and general public) with education and services related to

addressing the need to assist those that are on the national organ transplant waiting list. In Pennsylvania, there are two such organiza-

tions called Organ Procurement Organizations (OPO). The Center for Organ Recovery & Education (CORE) located in Pittsburgh, PA,

services western and central Pennsylvania,West Virginia and a small portion of New York. The Gift of Life Donor Program, headquar-

tered in Philadelphia, PA, services central and eastern Pennsylvania and parts of New Jersey and Delaware. Today there are over 86,900

people on the national recipient waiting list.

Woodland Hills High School in Pittsburgh, PA organized several field trips and toured several community facilities to assist in success-

fully aligning the OTDA Framework, specifically the Working with Community Resources Domain, into their existing curriculum. Sixty-

four Medquest, Student Leadership students and Future Problem-Solving students visited CORE headquarters in four small, individual-

ized tours. Fifteen Medquest students went to the University of Pittsburgh (Pitt) and viewed cadaver dissections and worked with

medical students. Twenty students from Medquest met with researchers at Pitt and discussed the latest inroads in organ preservation

and new drugs.

In addition,Woodland Hills students worked with two local Department of Motor Vehicle offices and set up informational booths on

OTDA. The booths were opened for two and a half hours, for three days, at each of the two different locations. The students designed

an interview sheet. All students involved were given two class periods of interview training and role-playing on how to greet the gen-

eral public. Interviews were conducted with 350 driver’s license applicants. They found only 131 were registered as organ donors.

A Woodland Hills teacher stated:

“All of these tours helped in reaching the OTDA Curriculum Framework area under ‘Biomedical Information’ and ‘Issues and

Considerations’ under ‘Working with Community Resources,’ specifically ‘Academic and Medical Resources.’”

123


This lesson plan will give the students a greater appreciation of the diet of an organ recipient as compared to a “normal” healthyeater. Students will investigate the dietary and nutritional needs of organ recipients through the use of the Internet.

Investigating Nutritional Needs of Organ RecipientsObjectives1. Upon completion, students will understand the dietary and nutritional needs of organ recipients.2. Upon completion, students will have gained practice of oral presentation skills.3. Upon completion, students will have understanding of local careers related to nutrition, healthcare and dietary care.

Standards Match

Proposed Family and Consumer Sciences

11.3.9.D 11.3.12.C 11.3.12.D

Activity1. Review a variety of diets that would be appropriate for organ recipients––acquired from a dietician from a local hospital

and from resources on the Internet.2. Create a meal plan that would aid in the constant good health of an organ recipient.3. Compare the diet of an organ recipient to a "normal" healthy eater.4. Use the Internet to search for diet suggestions for organ recipients.5. Prepare a brief presentation to share your ideas with your classmates.

AssessmentPresentation and quality/accuracy of materials and information

Materials Needed1. Diet plans2. Internet computer connections

Time NeededAt least one week for research and several days for presentations, depending on number and length.



This lesson plan strives to reinforce the economics behind organ and tissue donation. Students will be able to identify the variouscosts of organ and tissue transplant from procurement and transplantation to long-term care, and they will also be able to identify therole of supply and demand in determining these costs. Students will also research how patients may pay for all these incurred costs.

The Cost of A Transplant ProcedureObjectives

Upon completion, students will be able to identify the various costs of organ and tissue transplant from procurement and transplan-

tation to long-term care, and they will also be able to identify the role of supply and demand in determining these costs.

Standards Match

Pennsylvania Academic Standards for :

Economics

6.2.12A 6.2.12B 6.2.12E 6.2.12I 6.2.12K

6.3.12A 6.3.12C

Activity1. In small groups, students will research and document the cost of organ and tissue transplant, specifying the cost of each step in

the transplant procedure, from obtaining the organ, transplantation, hospital stay, surgical fees, rehabilitation, long term care and drugs/other pharmaceutical needs of the patient over the course of their expected lifetime.

2. Research how the patient pays for all of this. Students will choose from single organ transplant or multi-organ/tissue transplants for the cost analysis.

AssessmentSuccessful completion of the cost analysis

Materials Needed1. Internet2. Medical Journals

Time Required1-2 weeks of classroom and homework time

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Domain: Working with Community Resources

Topic Indicator: 4.5 – Government and Legal Resources

The Secretary's Donation InitiativeDelivering on a promise he made on his first day on the job, Secretary Thompson announced his Gift of Life Donation Initiative on

April 17, 2001.

"Fifteen Americans die each day while waiting for an organ to become available. More than 75,000 men, women, and children nowwait for a transplant to replace a failing kidney, heart, liver, lung, or pancreas. Every 16 minutes, another person joins the waiting list.

Thousands more wait for tissue transplants, desperately need marrow to stay alive, and require blood transfusions. The facts are justastounding! Someone dies every 96 minutes because there aren't enough organs to go around. Sixty percent of the U.S. population iseligible to donate blood, however, only five percent do. And, only 25 to 35 percent of those who need a marrow transplant will find amatch among their family members."

The Five Kick-Off Elements Include:1. "Workplace Partnership for Life" – This feature of the Secretary's initiative involves a collaboration with companies and

employee groups of all sizes to make information on donation available to employees. Employers and employee groups will be encouraged to develop their own campaigns. The following are charter members of the Workplace Partnership:

• Aetna • Allfirst Bank • Alticor • American Airlines • American Chiropractic Association • Aon Corporation • Ashland, Inc.• Bank of America • Bar Laboratories • Baxter Healthcare • Daimler Chrysler Corporation/United Auto Workers • Family Circle Magazine, a publication of Gruner and Jahr • Ford Motor Company • General Motors Corporation • MetLife • 3M • United States Postal Service • Verizon

2. Model Donor Card – The Secretary unveiled a new model donor card that includes provisions for designating whether all organs and tissues may be donated, as well as lines for signatures by two witnesses. Witnesses ideally should be family members or others who are most likely to be contacted in the case of an emergency to help ensure that the donor's wishes will be carried out. An informal survey performed with the help of the American Bar Association confirmed that the card is compatible with state law in 50 states and the District of Columbia.

3. National Forum on Donor Registries – To help ensure that families and hospitals know an individual's wishes, HHS plans to look at mechanisms, including donor registries, to assure that an individual's intent to donate is clearly communicated.


The Secretary has requested that HHS' Office of Inspector General conduct a study of existing registries that have been established by 16 states. The Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA) will organize a national forum on the potential of registries, the options available and guidelines for registry development.

4. National Gift of Life Medal – The Secretary will support efforts to create a national Gift of Life medal presented to families to honor their donors.

5. Driver's Education Curriculum – HHS will create a model curriculum for driver’s education classes, and will encourage state and local education systems to require this curriculum. This initiative is based on a similar program implemented in Wisconsin.

Future ElementsHHS will launch additional elements under the initiative, including review of potential federal responsibilities for monitoring the long-

term safety and effectiveness of living donation (in which a kidney or part of a liver or lung are transplanted from a living donor to arecipient). In recent years, living donation has been the fastest growing source of transplanted organs, and Secretary Thompson believesHHS should do its part to ensure the safety and effectiveness of such procedures, for donor and transplant patients alike.

HHS also plans to work with other federal agencies and state governments to promote donor awareness efforts, and examine otherpossible steps for ensuring that individual's wishes to donate are recorded and carried out.

Ongoing Elements for Creating a Donation Friendly AmericaWhile medical advances now enable more than 22,000 Americans per year to receive organ transplants that save or enhance their

lives, not enough organs are available to help everyone in need. As a result, about 5,500 people die in the U.S. each year––about 15every day––while waiting for a donated kidney, liver, heart, lung, or other organ. Today, more than 76,000 people are on the nationalorgan transplant waiting list.

In recent years, progress has been made in creating awareness of the need for organ and tissue donation. Most Americans indicatethey support organ donation. Nonetheless, only about 50 percent of families asked to donate a loved one's organs agree to do so.Moreover, thousands of opportunities to donate are missed each year, either because families do not know what there loved oneswanted, or because potential donors are not identified for organ procurement organizations and their families are never asked.

The Department of Health and Human Services is committed to creating a donation friendly America. Focusing on known barriersto donation, HHS will take action to achieve substantial increases in donation and transplantation.

Ongoing Partnerships for a Donation Friendly AmericaThe essential role of families in consenting to donation is a key message of the initiative. Even when a donor card, driver's license,

will, or living will is available to indicate the donor's wishes, next-of-kin will be asked to provide consent before donation can occur.HHS has teamed up with the Coalition on Donation, whose members include national and local organizations, to deliver a consis-tent, unified message on the importance of family discussion. With the Advertising Council, the Coalition on Donation has imple-mented a multi-year, national public awareness campaign. Materials developed for partners of the initiative feature the Coalition's mes-sage, "DONATE LIFE."

National advertising and public awareness campaigns help to communicate consistent messages about organ and tissue donation, butindividuals and families also need to learn about the importance of donation from people and organizations they trust. HHS is buildingstrong partnerships with health care, community, educational, religious, minority, professional, and other organizations to ensure thatAmericans are given the opportunity to choose donation.

127

Health Care CommunityThe American Medical Association and the American Academy of Family Physicians are partnering with HHS to

encourage physicians to make donation materials available in their offices and to discuss donation with patients. Already, one state med-ical society (the Texas Medical Association) is taking on organ donation as one of its major issues. Physicians in Texas are encouraged tooffer educational materials in their offices and to express support for organ donation to patients who ask. The American Red Crosswill, through its nationwide community network, expand upon its current public awareness and education activities to increase organand tissue donation. The American Nurses Association will educate its members and provide materials. The AmericanAssociation of Health Plans will encourage plans to provide members with educational materials. The National MedicalAssociation will help educate minority medical professionals; especially through HHS' MOTTEP program (see below). The AmericanAssociation of Neurological Surgeons and the Congress of Neurological Surgeons are also partners in the initiative.

Law AssociationsThe American Bar Association is partnering with HHS to encourage attorneys to discuss donation with their clients during

estate planning. The ABA's Real Property, Probate, and Trust Section will distribute materials, stimulate continuing legal education pro-grams, and encourage state and local bar associations to adopt resolutions similar to the ABA's 1992 resolution that urges attorneys toget involved in donor education efforts.

Educational OrganizationsThe Center for Study of the Freshman Experience and Students in Transition is teaming up with HHS to provide

donor information to new college and university students in orientation packets and programs. In addition, Health Resources andServices Administration (HRSA) is funding a demonstration project with the American College Health Association, a nationalorganization with more than 900 member institutions, to implement and test the effectiveness of college campus campaigns to increasedonation. The project is modeled after a successful HRSA-sponsored pilot project at the University of Rhode Island. Finally, under aHRSA grant, TransWeb University has developed a new interactive electronic program to educate school-age children about organdonation and transplantation available at the website http://www.transweb.org/journey.

Religious OrganizationsThe Congress of National Black Churches, representing 65,000 congregations, is partnering with HHS in a national project to

educate its members about organ, tissue, and bone marrow donation. The Union of American Hebrew Congregations, withsupport from HRSA, developed a program guide on organ donation and transplantation, which it distributed to its 850 member con-gregations. In addition, the Presbyterian Church USA, the General Conference of the Seventh-Day Adventist Church, theInterfaith Conference of Metropolitan Washington, and other faith organizations were asked by HHS to urge congregationsacross the nation to consider donation during the annual National Donor Sabbath.

Donor and Recipient GroupsThe National Kidney Foundation's Donor Family Council and HHS have teamed up to create a new website at

http://www.kidney.org/donor to provide information and bereavement support for donor families. In addition, HRSA, the Donor FamilyCouncil, and other national donor, recipient, and transplant organizations are sponsoring the seventh annual Donor RecognitionCeremony in July 2001 in Washington, D.C.

The National Minority Organ/Tissue Transplant Education Program (MOTTEP)A collaborative effort between NIH's Office of Research on Minority Health and the National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive

and Kidney Diseases, is the first national program specifically designed to empower minority communities to become involved in educa-tion activities to increase the number of minority donors and transplant recipients. More minority organ donors are needed toincrease the chances that a well-matched organ will be available to minorities waiting for transplants. Now in 15 sites across the coun-try, MOTTEP's target audience represents the African American, Hispanic/Latino, Native American, Asian, Pacific Islander, and AlaskanNative populations. MOTTEP also includes a health promotion and disease prevention component, to reduce the incidence of condi-tions, such as diabetes and hypertension that can lead to organ failure.


Business OrganizationsThe U.S. Chamber of Commerce and the Washington Business Group on Health, representing many large and small

businesses and organizations, will help their members conduct employee organ and tissue donation education campaigns. The HomeDepot will also conduct educational activities for employees.

State OrganizationsHHS is working with the National Governors' Association, the National Conference of State Legislatures, the Council

of State Governments, and the Association of State and Territorial Health Officials to disseminate information aboutmodel programs and legislation and to encourage state activities to increase donation.

MediaThe James Redford Institute for Transplant Awareness will reach out to national media organizations, especially using its

films to build public awareness of the need for organ donation.

In addition, with assistance from the Office of Personnel Management, HHS iscollaborating with other federal agencies to encourage federal employees to becomedonors, to share their decision with family members, and to serve as a model for thenation. For example, the Department of Defense, which has taken a pro-gressive approach by routinely asking patients in its health care system to con-sider donation, is stepping up its efforts to encourage donation by makingmaterials available in its treatment facilities and by improving the educa-tion of its providers on effective communication with patients and theirfamilies. In addition, the Office of Personnel Management included a full-pagead on donation in the Guide to Federal Employees Health Benefits Plans,which was distributed to all federal employees. HHS is providingbrochures, posters, ID badge stickers, and other materials to Federalagencies to share with their employees.

Learning More About What Works toImprove Donation andTransplantation

On April 17th, HRSA announced the availabilityof $3 million in new grant funds to continue to support demonstrations of innovativeapproaches for increasing donation.

HHS agencies including HRSA, the National Institutes of Health, and the Health CareFinancing Administration will conduct activities to identify the best approaches to increasingdonation and priorities for future research.

For more information on the Federal Government's donation enhancing activities, visit the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services website athttp://www.organdonor.gov, or contact: Division of Transplantation, HealthResources and Services Administration, 5600 Fishers Lane Rockville, MD20857, 301-443-7577 or 301-443-1267 (fax).

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News ReleaseContact: HHS Press Office

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

(202) 690-6343

Friday, March 26, 2004

Statement by Tommy G.Thompson

Secretary of Health and Human Services

Regarding Senate Passage of the Organ Donation and Recovery Improvement Act

I congratulate the House and Senate for passing the "Organ Donation and Recovery Improvement Act" and sending it to President

Bush for his signature. This bill represents a major step forward in our nation's efforts to help people in need of life-saving organ trans-

plants. I commend the sponsors of this legislation for taking historic steps to reduce the organ donor waiting list and provide hope to

the thousands of patients and families in need of the "gift of life."

This bill authorizes new resources for our efforts to increase donation, including providing reimbursement of the travel and subsis-

tence costs associated with living donation, providing greater resources to states to expand their public education and outreach efforts,

and awarding grants to coordinate organ donation activities of eligible hospitals and organ procurement organizations. These provisions

build on and complement many of our existing efforts, including the Organ Donation Breakthrough Collaborative, which I launched last

year, and the Gift of Life initiative I launched in 2001.

The need for organs has continued to grow faster than the supply. Today, more than 83,000 Americans are waiting, hoping and pray-

ing that they will receive an organ transplant in time. Once signed by the President, this new legislation will make a world of difference

not only to those on waiting lists, but also to their families and friends who wait with them.

Note: All HHS press releases, fact sheets, and other press materials are available at http://www.hhs.gov/news.


131


Teacher Tip!Use Pennsylvania Department of Transportation Statistics on Donor Designation for Math Standards:

On the following pages, you will find statistics which are compiled and tracked by the Pennsylvania Department of Transportation. Theinformation is ranked by county, number of drivers who designate themselves as donors, and percentage of total population.

135

A Critical Shortage in Our Communities

Domain: Working with Community Resources

Topic Indicator: 4.1 – The Role of Organ Procurement Organizations and Tissue Banks

The truth is, despite continuing advances in medicine and technology, the demand for organs is vastly greater than the number oforgan donors.

In 2003, there were:• 13,266 deceased and living organ donors• 25,451 lifesaving organ transplants• 5,989 people who died while waiting

Talk to Your Family About Donating LIFE.Organ donation is all about LIFE. When you donate your organs you give someone the most precious gift–a chance to live.

Transplants provide hope for thousands of people with organ failure. Your commitment to organ and tissue donation can save lives.The most important part of deciding to be a donor is telling your family. And that doesn't mean talking about death. It is talking aboutthe opportunity to give another person a second chance at life.

In most states, your family will be consulted about your wish to donate at the time of death. Even with a signed donor card, indica-tion of your wishes on your driver's license, or listing with a donor registry, it may be your family/next of kin who gives final consent.Talk to your family about organ donation. Talk to your family about donating LIFE.

For a brochure on organ and tissue donation, and to obtain donor cards, visit www.organdonor.gov.From URL: http://www.optn.org/about/donation/criticalShortage.aspReprinted with permission

Guest Speaker Resources

Information on Organ and Tissue Donation speakers in your local region can be obtained at one of the following PennsylvaniaOrgan and Tissue Procurement Organizations:

Center for Organ Recovery and Education (CORE)204 Sigma DriveRIDC ParkPittsburgh, PA 15238Phone: (800) DONORS-7

Gift of Life Donor Program2000 Hamilton Street, Suite 201Philadelphia, PA 19130Phone: (800) DONORS-1

Pennsylvania Regional Tissue Bank814 Cedar AvenueScranton, PA 18505Phone: (570) 343-5433


Other Common Questions

Teacher Tip!

Ask your students to use these questions for research projects:

How does the waiting list work?“How do they choose who gets an organ?”“How long are the waiting lists? How do you go about getting on a waiting list?”“What if somebody needed an organ real bad, but another person had been waiting on the list for real long, who would get it first?”“How many people die just being on the waiting list?”“What are the chances of finding an organ?”

How do they find a compatible donor?“How do they find somebody compatible?”“How do you determine if somebody’s heart can work in your heart?”“Would they put a baby’s kidney in an adult?”“If you are female and you needed an organ, can you take it from a male?”“If you want to give an organ to your family or something like that, could you have a choice on who you wanted to give it to?”

How does the transplant process work?“How does an organ go from you to another person?”“How long can you keep an organ out of a body before transplanting it?”

What are the risks?“What are some of the risks of giving or receiving an organ?”“What are the chances of a transplant being unsuccessful?”“Say I am going to donate, then what would I look like?”

Are there alternatives to organ donation?“Why can’t they just find a cure other than organ donation?”“Why can’t they make electronic [organs]?”“Why can’t they use animal organs instead of human organs?”


General Resources

Section 7General Resources

Section 7

General Subject Glossary

http:/www.transplantawareness.org/resguide/chap42.htm

As you learn more about transplantation, your vocabulary will begin to expand rather rapidly. We have noted here a number of theterms frequently used in transplantation. Remember, this is just a sample.

Acute Having severe symptoms and a short course.

Acute Tubular Necrosis (ATN) Reversible kidney damage resulting in delayed kidney function after transplant. Among other factors, it may be caused by sub-optimal organ storage before transplantation or medication used to prevent rejection.

AllocationThe system of ensuring that organs and tissues are distributed fairly to patients who are in need.

AllogenicRefers to genetically different members of the same species. See transplantation.

Allograph An organ that is removed from a donor to be used in another person.

Anemia A condition characterized by too few red blood cells in the bloodstream, resulting in insufficient oxygen to tissues and organs.

Antibody A serum protein consisting of soluble molecules that is produced by the body's immune system, they are produced in response to and bind to substances, usually foreign, known as antigens. Antibodies to transplantation, antigens are one of the mediators of graft rejection.

Antibiotic A drug used to fight bacterial infections.

Antigen A substance, such as a transplanted organ, that can trigger an immune response. This immune response may be the production of antibodies.

Apheresis An apheresis donation returns the unwanted portion of blood to the donor. Usually relating to a platelet donation.

Arteriogram An X-ray of the arteries taken with the aid of a dye, sometimes referred to as angiography.

Ascites Accumulation of fluid in the stomach.

Aseptic Necrosis One or both hip joints may suddenly undergo massive deterioration in patients using a high dosage of steroids for a prolonged time. Dietary calcium and/or supplements are recommended for prevention.


AtherosclerosisThe disease in which fatty deposits build up on the inner walls of the arteries, causing narrowing or blockage that can lead to heart attack. Commonly known as "hardening of the arteries."

Autoantibody An antibody that reacts with antigens on a person's own cells and tissues.

Autoimmunity The condition in which the immune system mistakenly attacks the body's own cells and tissues; this immune reaction is the basis of a variety of autoimmune diseases including diabetes, rheumatoid arthritis and system lupes erythematosus, among others.

B Cell A specialized white blood cell responsible for the body's immunity. B cells play a central role in antibody production.

Bacteria Microscopic organisms that invade human cells, multiply rapidly and produce toxins that interfere with normal cell functions.

Beta Blockers A class of drugs that lower blood pressure.

Bile Fluid produced by the liver that is transported to the intestine to help digestion and remove waste products.

Bile Ducts Passageways in and from the liver that transport bile.

Bilirubin Substance in bile that is produced when the liver processes waste products. A high bilirubin level causes yellowing of the skin.

Biliary Cirrhosis Slow, progressive scarring of the bile ducts in the liver.

Biopsy Removal of tissues for examination under a microscope.

Bladder The part of the urinary tract that receives urine from the kidneys and stores it until urination.

Blood VesselsThe arteries, veins and capillaries through which blood circulates. Blood vessels can be donated and transplanted.

BoneDense tissue that forms the skeleton. Bone can be donated and transplanted.

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Bone Marrow Spongy tissue in the cavities of large bones, where blood cells are produced. Sometimes referred to as a tissue donation.

Brain Death The condition in which the brain has permanently ceased functioning as determined by the medical team. Cadaveric organs are recovered from persons declared brain dead in the U.S.

BUN Stands for Blood Urea Nitrogen, a waste product normally excreted by the kidney. Your BUN value represents how well the kidneys function.

Cadaveric Organ An organ from a person who has been declared brain dead.

Candidate A person awaiting an organ or tissue transplant.

Cardiac Relating to the heart.

Catheter Small, flexible plastic tube inserted into the body to administer or remove fluids.

CellCept A new drug used to assist the immune system in transplanted patients. It is approved for renal allograft rejection in combination with cyclosporine and corticosteroids (prednisone).

Chronic Persisting for a long time.

Cirrhosis Irreversible scarring of the liver. Can be caused by a variety of conditions.

Clinical Trail A prospective, scientific evaluation of a treatment regimen, agent (e.g. drug), device or procedure used for the prevention,diagnosis, or treatment of a disease.

Coagulation Relating to the process of clotting, usually the body's system of controlling bleeding.

Cocktail Refers to a combination of drugs prescribed to prevent rejection consisting of cyclosporine, imuran and prednisone. This combination's success allowed transplantation to proceed beyond the experimental stage.

Connective TissueForms the supportive and connective structures of the body.


CorneaThe transparent outer coat of the eyeball that covers the iris and pupil. Corneas can be donated and transplanted.

Corticosteroids Hormones secreted by the adrenal gland. Corticosteroids can be manufactured. In high doses, corticosteroids cause immuno-suppression. See prednisone.

Creatinine A product of muscle metabolism. Creatinine level is referred to as a number that is watched closely and serves as an indicator of kidney function.

Crossmatch A test for recipient antibodies versus donor antigens. A positive crossmatch means the recipient and donor are incompatible. A negative crossmatch means there is no reaction between donor and patient and that the transplant may proceed.

Cyclosporine A drug commonly used after transplantation to suppress the immune system of the recipient and prevent rejection by the immune system of the transplanted organ or tissue. See cocktail.

Deceased DonorsDonors who donate their organs or tissue after they have been declared brain dead.

Dialysis Mechanical ways of cleaning the blood in kidney failure.

Diastolic The bottom number of a blood pressure reading measuring the heart at rest.

Diuresis Significantly increasing the production of urine.

DonationIs the act of giving one’s organs or tissue to someone else.

Donor One who gives of themselves.

Edema Abnormal accumulation of fluid in the body.

Encephalopathy Confused, fuzzy or slowed thinking when the liver is not properly functioning.

End-Stage Organ DiseaseA disease that leads, ultimately, to functional failure of an organ. Some examples are emphysema (lungs), cardiomyopathy (heart), and polycystic kidney disease (kidneys).

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End-Stage Renal Disease (ESRD)A very serious and life-threatening kidney disease that minorities suffer much more frequently than do Caucasians. ESRD is treatable with dialysis; however, dialysis is costly and can result in a poor quality of life for the patient. The preferred treatment of ESRD is kidney transplantation. Transplantation offers the patient "freedom" from dialysis to lead a more normal lifestyle and can successfully treat ESRD for many years.

Exacerbation An increase in activity of a disease, a relapse.

Febrile Running a fever.

FK-506 Pre-approval designation for immunosuppressant drug, Prograf.

Fulminant Happening very quickly and severely.

Gene A unit of genetic material (DNA). A gene may be defined in different ways as follows:

• Gene pattern of inheritance A segment of DNA that is transmitted, intact, from parent to offspring.• Gene structure A segment of DNA encoding a protein molecule.• Gene function A segment of DNA that contains the information for a specific function.• Gene therapy Treatment of genetic diseases by providing the correct or normal form of the abnormal gene causing a disease.

Genetic Disease A disease due to an abnormal condition of one or more genes. While most diseases have some genetic component, the genetic disease is usually applied to those cases where one or two genes determine the disease, such as sickle cell anemia,Tay Sachs disease and cystic fibrosis.

Gastrointestinal Relating to the stomach and intestines.

Gastroenterologist A physician trained in treating gastrointestinal disease.

Gingival Hypertrophy Enlargement of the gums as a side effect of certain medications, especially cyclosporine. Managed with good oral hygiene.

Glucose A type of sugar in the blood.

Graft A transplanted tissue or organ.

Graft Failure Absence of adequate function in a transplanted organ or tissue.


Graft Survival Rates The percentage of patients who have functioning grafts; graft survival rates are usually given for chronological landmarks (e.g. 1 year, 5 years).

Graft-Versus-Host Disease A life-threatening reaction in which transplanted immunocompetent cells attack the tissues of the recipient. This is most commonly seen in bone marrow transplantation, but is also known to occur in transplantation of organs, such as the liver and the lung, that contain significant numbers of immunocompetent cells.

HeartA muscular organ that pumps blood through the body. The heart can be donated and transplanted.

Heart ValvesA tissue that prevents the back flow of blood into the heart. The heart valves can be donated and transplanted.

Helper T Cell The specialized white blood cell that tells other parts of the immune system to combat infection or foreign material. A transplanted organ is foreign material.

Hemorrhage Excessive bleeding.

Hepatic Relating to the liver.

Hepatitis Inflammation of the liver.

Hirsutism Excessive increase in the hair growth.

Histocompatibility Testing Determining how closely the HLA (or transplantation) antigens of the donor and recipient are matched, and the likelihood that the recipient will reject the donor tissue.

HLA Human Leukocyte AntigenThere are over 10,000 HLA types, with three major genetically controlled groups: HLA-A, HLA-b and HLA-DR. In organ transplan-tation, HLA-A types are important.

Hypertension High blood pressure.

Immune Response The body's defense against things that are not normally part of the body, such as bacteria, viruses or transplanted organs or tissue.

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Immunocompetent Capable of developing an immune response.

Immunodeficiency The lack of an adequate or normal immune response.

Immunologic Disease A disease due to a dysfunction of the immune system. These are the autoimmune, allergic and immunodeficiency diseases.

Immune System The body's natural defense mechanism against invasion by foreign bodies. In transplantation, the transplanted organ is considered a foreign body and the recipient's immune system will naturally want to defend against it through rejection of the organ.

Immunosuppression The artificial suppression of the immune response, usually through drugs, so that the body will not reject a transplanted organ or tissue. The drugs commonly used to suppress the immune system after transplantation include prednisone, azathioprine (Imuran), CellCept, cyclosporine, Prograf (FK506), OKT3 and ALG.

Imuran A drug commonly used after transplantation to suppress the immune system of the recipient, and prevent rejection by the immune system of the transplanted organ or tissue. An "AZT family" drug. See cocktail.

Immunosuppressive DrugsChemical agents that cause the human body not to produce antibodies that normally fight off foreign material in the body. The production of these antibodies needs to be suppressed in order to permit the acceptance of a donor organ by the recipient’s body.

IntestinesThe portion of the digestive track extending from the stomach to the anus, consisting of upper and lower segments. The intestines can be donated and transplanted.

Intravenous (IV) Into a vein.

Jaundice Yellowing of the skin and eyes. A sign that the liver or bile duct system is not working properly.

KidneysA pair of organs that maintain proper water and electrolyte balance, regulate acid-based concentration, and filter the blood of metabolic waste, which is excreted as urine. Kidneys can be donated and transplanted.

Leukocyte A white cell of the blood.

LifeNet Tissue procurement organization for Washington, D.C. and Virginia.


Living-Related Donor (LRD) A "blood" relative who donates an organ, usually a kidney; also partial livers, lungs and pancreas lobes from LRDs are used for infantsand small children when that is the appropriate transplant.

MatchThe compatibility between recipient and donor. The more closely the donor and recipient "match," the greater the potential for a successful transplant.

Meds Used by recipients for their prescribed medications. Taking them at the appropriate time(s) is most important.

Nation's Capital Area Chapter (NCAC) The initials are often used to denote the local TRIO chapter.

Noncompliance Failure to follow the instructions of your health care providers, such as not taking prescribed medications or not showing up for prescribed clinic visits.

Neoral Emulsified cyclosporine immunosuppressant drug manufactured by Sandoz.

NSF Formerly initials for the National Sanitation Foundation, now the organization is known as NSF International or NSF in their logo.Provides drinking water standards and standards for associated equipment, including water purification filters.

Organ Preservation Organ preservation is used so that organs or tissues can be kept outside the body before being transplanted. The length of time varies per type of organ,the preservation fluid, and temperature.

Organism An individual, living thing.

Orthotopic A graft that is transplanted into its normal anatomical position (e.g. livers,hearts, lungs and intestines).

OPO Organ Procurement Organization.

OPTN Organ Procurement and Transplant Network.

OTC Over The Counter, non-prescription drugs, or other medications.

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Pancreatic Relating to the pancreas.

Panel Reactive Antibody (PRA) The percentage of cells from a panel of donors with which a potential recipient's blood serum reacts. The more antibodies in the recipient's blood, the higher the PRA. The higher the PRA, the less chance of getting a good crossmatch. Patients with a high PRA have priority on the waiting list.

Patient A person under a physician's care as a living donor, transplant candidate or recipient.

Platelets The smallest elements in the blood, needed to control bleeding.

Prednisone A steroid drug commonly used after transplantation to suppress the immune system of the recipient and prevent rejection of the transplanted organ or tissue. See cocktail.

Peritonitis Inflammation of the abdominal cavity due to intestinal perforation.

Prognosis The predicted or likely outcome.

Prograf A drug (Tacrolimus, FK-506) used after transplantation to suppress the immune system of the recipient and prevent rejection of the transplanted organ or tissue. Initially used for liver transplants, recently an option for all organ transplants.

Protein A type of organic compound that is one of the major components of cells and tissues.

Protocol The plan of treatment.

Pulmonary Relating to the lungs.

Recipient A person who has received an eye, organ or tissue transplant.

Rejection An event in which the immune system tries to fight off a transplanted organ or tissue by making antibodies. Immunosuppresive drugs help prevent rejection.

Remission Return to good health.


Renal Relating to the kidneys.

RS-61443 Preapproval number assigned to CellCept. See CellCept.

Sandimmune Cyclosporine Immunosuppressant drug manufactured by Sandoz.

Sensitization When there are antibodies in the blood of the potential recipient, usually because of pregnancy, blood transfusions or previous rejection of the organ transplant. Sensitization is measured by PRA. Highly sensitized patients are more likely to reject an organ transplant than unsensitized patients. See PRA.

Steroids A group of medications, including Prednisone.

Systolic The top number of a blood pressure reading measuring when the heart is contracting.

T Cell A white blood cell responsible for the body's immunity. T cells can destroy cells infected by viruses, graft cells, and other altered cells(e.g. cancer cells).

Tacrolimus A drug (Prograf, FK-506) used after transplantation to suppress the immune system of the recipient and prevent rejection of the transplanted organ or tissue.

Thoracic Relating to the chest.

Tissue A term applied to actual tissue (skin), blood products, and bone marrow.

Tissue Typing The examination of human lymphocyte antigens (HLA) in a patient; a blood test identifying genetic markers. Tissue typing is done for all kidney donors and recipients to determine a proper match.

Tolerance A state of immunologic non-responsiveness to one or more antigens.

Tolerance, Donor-Specific Tolerance of the donor's antigens by a transplant recipient.

Transplant Patient A person waiting to receive an organ or tissue transplant or a person who has already received a transplant.

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Transplantation Transfer of cells, tissues or organs from one area of the body to another, or from one organism to another.

Transplantation, Allogenic (Allograft) Transplantation between genetically different members of the same species. Nearly all organ and bone marrow transplants are allografts.

Transplantation, Autologous Transplantation of an organism's own cells or tissues, autogous transplantation may be used to repair or replace damaged tissue.Autologous bone marrow transplantation permits the usage of more severe and toxic cancer therapies by replacing bone marrow damaged by the treatment with marrow that was removed and stored prior to treatment.

Transplantation, Syngenic Transplantation between genetically identical members of the same species (e.g. identical twins).

Transplant Recipient's International Organization (TRIO) Membership includes candidates, recipients, their families, donor families, medical professionals and other interested parties.

United Network for Organ Sharing (UNOS) The designated OPTN operator.

Varices Enlarged veins that develop in the esophagus and stomach.

Vascular Relating to blood vessels.

Viatical Viatical settlement allows one to sell their life insurance policy to obtain funds for medical care.

WRTC Washington Regional Transplant Consortium OPO.

Xenographs Organs transplanted from animals, ongoing research is a result of the tremendous shortage of donor organs.


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Classroom Activities

Time is Running OutTime Needed for Activity Minimal (Enough time to instruct student assigned to timer and to explain to the entire class the significance of the activity.)

Materials1. A kitchen timer

InstructionsAt the beginning of class, assign one student to set the timer for 14 minutes and to reset it for another 14 minutes each time it goesoff. Remind students that another person is added to the national organ transplant waiting list every time it goes off.

Student Writing ActivityHave students complete the activity by writing an essay about what things they do that take about 14 minutes. The significance of this portion of the activity is to help students to realize how easy it is to take 14 or 15 minutes for granted and yet how significant that same period of time is to someone else. Discuss as a whole group.

Every Breath I TakeTime Needed for ActivityApproximately 5 minutes

Materials 1. Small straws/stirrers (the type that are used for coffee and tea drinks) – 1 per student

InstructionsGive a small straw/stirrer to each student. Have the students hold their nose and breathe through their straw for 20 seconds. This demonstrates what it is like to be waiting for a lung transplant, struggling for each breath. Ask your students to imagine what it would be like to wait this way, often needing to use an oxygen tank for months.

Curriculum ConnectionDiscuss the impact that smoking has on lung function and increased risk of cancer and emphysema.

Supplemental ActivityAfter the activity, ask the students to write a short story or journal entry as someone who is waiting for a lung transplant.Encourage them to imagine what it would be like to do everyday activities that they now take for granted and to write about it.

Adapted from the Indiana Organ Procurement Organization (IOPO)


Recommended Reading List

TITLE AUTHOR PUBLISHER DATE

A Gift of Life: A Page from the Lynn Chabot-Long Je-LynnLife of a Living Organ Donor

For Those Who Give and Grieve: NKF NKF 1990A Book for Donor Families

Glimpses of God Michelle Peele Pentland Press 2000

Hope From My Heart Rich DeVos

It Gets Dark Sometimes: My Jeffery Marx JAM 2000Sister’s Fight to Live and Save Lives

Life Row: A Case Study on How a Ed Linz Exchange 1997Family Can Survive a Medical Crisis

Organ Transplants: Making Robert Finn O’Reillythe Most of Your Gift of Life

Our Hero, Freebird: An Joy McCaleb DCI Donor Services & Putnams 1998Organ Donor’s Story & her 8th graders County Board of Education

Second Chances: Jeff Lueders Ragged Edge Press 2000Receiving the Gift of Life

The Nicholas Effect Reg Green O’Reilly 1999

Brain-Based Learning Eric Jensen Turning Point 1996

Series:Cardiac Kids Foundation: Tony Huesman Huesman Heart There Are Some Things More

Important Than BaseballHis Only HopeHeart Smart

When Daddy Got Sick: A Story Shawn McCreight The BC Transplant Society 1998About Organ Transplantation

Justin’s Journey: My Life as a Justin Hill Amgen, Inc. 1999Kid With Kidney Disease

When Someone Very Marge Heegaard Woodland Press 1988Special Dies

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Books About Donation, Transplant, or Helping Children Cope With Loss

For Teenagers and Adults

For Those Who Live ................................................................................................................................................................................................................La Tour, Kathy

The Grieving Child: A Parent's Guide ............................................................................................................................................................................Fitsgerald, Helen

Helping Children Cope With Grief ..................................................................................................................................................................................Wolfelt, Alan

How Do We Tell The Children............................................................................................................................................................................................Schaaefer, Dan

How it Feels When A Parent Dies ..................................................................................................................................................................................Krementz, Jill

Our Hero, Freebird, An Organ Donor’s Story........................................................................................................................................................................8th grade students in Joy McCaleb’s ReadingClasses of 1997

Eva..................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................Dickinson, Peter

Saving Jessica ............................................................................................................................................................................................................................McDaniels Lurlene

She Died Too Young ................................................................................................................................................................................................................McDaniels,Lurlene

Someone Dies, Someone Lives..........................................................................................................................................................................................McDaniels Lurlene

Somewhere Between Life and Death............................................................................................................................................................................McDaniels,Lurlene

The Nicholas Effect. A Boy’s Gift to the World ........................................................................................................................................................Green, Reg

A Gift of Life: A Page from the Life of a Living Organ Donor ..........................................................................................................................Chabot-Long, Lynn

For Those Who Give and Grieve: A Book for Donor Families..............................................................................................................................NKF

Hope From My Heart ..........................................................................................................................................................................................................DeVos, Rich

It Gets Dark Sometimes: My Sister’s Fight to Live and Save Lives ................................................................................................................Marx, Jeffrey

LifeLine, How One Night Changed Five Lives, A True Story.................................................................................................................................Schomaker, Mary Zimmeth

Life Row, a Case Study on How A Family Can Survive a Medical Crisis ......................................................................................................Linz, Ed

Organ Transplants: Making the Most of Your Gift of Life ....................................................................................................................................Finn, Robert

Second Chances: Receiving the Gift of Life................................................................................................................................................................Lueders, Jeff

Loss of a Sibling

Am I Still A Sister?....................................................................................................................................................................................................................Sims, Alicia M.

Losing Someone You Love:When Brother or Sister Dies ......................................................................................................................................Richter, Elizabeth

Recovering From The Loss of A Sibling ..........................................................................................................................................................................Donnelly, Katherine

Where's Jess? ............................................................................................................................................................................................................................Johnson , Joy

Books of Religious/Spiritual Nature

Death With Understanding................................................................................................................................................................................................ Religious Research Writers

Living With Loss: A Pastor's Memoir ............................................................................................................................................................................Veal, Ernest

Roses in December: Comfort For The Grieving Heart ........................................................................................................................................Heavilin, Marilyn

Roses in December: Finding Strength Within Grief ..............................................................................................................................................Heavilin, Marilyn

When Bad Things Happen to Good People ..............................................................................................................................................................Kushner, Harold S.

Glimpses of God – a mother chronicles her daughter’s death and her own personal grief......................................................Peele, Michelle

Source: Booklists provided by The Gift of Life Foundation


Video Resources

1. Flow

“Flow” is designed to inform and motivate young people. The 18-minute teen film was produced by the James Redford Institute.

James Redford, son of actor Robert Redford, received a liver transplant in 1993. Flow and its educational component can be pur-

chased from the Coalition on Donation.

Source: www.ucdmc.ucdavis.edu/transplant/newsetter/newsletters/winter98/html/tell.html

2. No Greater Love

This one-hour documentary follows families facing the sorrow and hope of organ donation and transplantation. “Thousands of

Americans nationwide are waiting for that precious life-saving gift. One of the goals of this documentary is to show how one

person can make a difference in many lives by deciding to become a donor,” said HHS Secretary Tommy G.Thompson.

Source: Info provided by Gift of Life through www.applesforhealth.com/OrganDonation/newfildontr5.html

3. Barry’s Last Hurrah

Produced by Leonardo Portillo and Franco Carranza, “Barry’s Last Hurrah” was the winning film in the Nevada Donor Network’s

challenge to UNLV film students to create a film on organ and tissue donation targeting ages 16 to 25. The film is 13 minutes in

length.

Source: www.reviewjournal.com/lvrj_home/2003/Aug-18-Mon-2003/living/21930115.html

4. Live and Then Give

This American Medical Association video (11 minutes) is primarily directed to physicians. It is aimed at encouraging them both to

become donors themselves and to educate their families, patients and friends about the importance of organ donation. Although

the primary audience for this video is physicians, the secondary audience is patients.

Source: www.ama-assn.org/ama/pub/article/2112-3089.html

5. How Do You Say Thank You? An African American Perspective on Organ & Tissue Donation

A joint production of the National Minority Organ Tissue Transplant Education Program (MOTTEP) and the Nicholas Green

Foundation, this video (11 minutes) addresses many of the specific concerns about organ donation that have arisen in the

African-American community. Featuring recipients, living donors and donor families, the video tackles difficult questions of race,

religion and mistrust of the medical profession, and provides education about the importance of family discussion of donation

decisions. To order, contact Corporate Productions, Inc. at (818) 760-2622 or at www.mailcpivideo.com.


6. The Doctor is In: Organ Transplants

This 28-minute syndicated television series on health aims to inform and sensitize people to a wide variety of illnesses and

diseases. The feature on organ donation examines how the organ transplant system works for both donors and recipients.

Viewers follow patients through a corneal and kidney transplant and watch the process of organ allocation decision-making. To

order, call toll free: (877) 884-6872.


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7. Talk,Talk,Talk

This video (8-minutes), produced by the Wendy Marx Foundation, features Olympian Carl Lewis and liver recipient Wendy Marx

discussing the importance of organ donation. The video is primarily aimed at teens and their families. To order, contact The

Wendy Marx Foundation at 322 South Caroline SE; Suite 201;Washington, D.C. 20003; or email Wendy Marx at [email protected].


8. The Nicholas Effect and Thank You, Nicholas

These two videos, produced by the Nicholas Green Foundation, are 14 minutes and 8 minutes in length, respectively. Nicholas

Green was killed by highway robbers while vacationing in Italy with his parents in October of 1994. “The Nicholas Effect”

chronicles his life and death, his parents’ decision to donate, and the effects of Nicholas’ story worldwide on organ donation

awareness. This video has been translated into Spanish and Italian.

“Thank You, Nicholas” focuses on the recipients of Nicholas’ organs as they share the stories of how his gift changed their lives.

Copies of both videos are available from Corporate Productions, Inc. Order via phone at (818) 760-2622 or at [email protected].


9. Patches of Love: The National Donor Family Quilt

This video, 8-minutes in length and produced by the National Donor Family Council, tells the story of the National Donor Family

Quilt and the donor families involved in making this testament to their loved ones. Donor families share their memories about

their loved ones and making the quilt squares. Various recipients express how their lives have been touched and changed by the

gift of donation. It is aimed at both public and professional audiences. For more information, contact the National Donor Family

Council; c/o National Kidney Foundation; 30 E. 33rd St; New York, NY 10016.


10. The Kindness of Strangers and Flow

These two documentaries were produced by the James Redford Institute for Transplant Awareness. Feature lengths are 104

minutes and 16 minutes, respectively. “The Kindness of Strangers” is a feature-length documentary film that takes the viewer on

an intimate journey into the lives of transplant recipients and organ donor families. This film has been shown in a special

screening at the Sundance Film Festival, as well as being screened at several other film festivals around the countr, and televised

on HBO in September of 1999.

“Flow” is a short film targeted to high school students, aimed at helping young people understand the life and death struggle

experience by those in need of transplants, and families faced with the decision to donate organs. Flow and its educational

component can be purchased from the Coalition on Donation at http://www.shareyourlife.org.


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Related Websites

Center for Organ Recovery and Education – http://www.core.org

Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia – http://www.chop.edu

Children’s Hospital of Pittsburgh – http://www.chp.edu/

Coalition on Donation – http://www.shareyourlife.org/

Done Vida: The Coalition’s website for Hispanic Americans – http://www.donevida.org/

Gift of Life Donor Program – http://www.donors1.org/

Hershey Medical Center – http://www.hmc.psu.edu/

James Redford Institute for Transplant Awareness – http://www.jrifilms.org/

Lehigh Valley Hospital and Health Network – http://www.lvhhn.org/

Musculoskeletal Transplant Foundation – http://mtf.org/

National Kidney Foundation – http://www.kidney.org/

National Minority Organ and Tissue Transplant Education Program – http://www.nationalmottep.org/

National Transplant Assistance Fund – http://www.transplantfund.org

Organ Procurement and Transplantation Network (OPTN): Educational and informational databank. All materials can be reprinted for educational purposes with proper citations. Extensive data links. – http://www.optn.org/

OTDA Public Awareness Campaign – http://www.donatelife.pa.org

Penn Center for Bioethics/Program for Transplant Policy and Ethics – http://www.bioethics.upenn.edu/prog/transplant/

Pennsylvania Department of Education – http://www.pde.state.pa.us/

Pennsylvania Department of Health – Organ Donation Awareness – http://www.dsf.health.state.pa.us/health/site/default.asp

The Gift of a Lifetime: Web-based Documentary – http://www.organtransplants.org/

Transplant Recipient International Organization (TRIO) – http://www.trioweb.org/

Transweb – http://www.transweb.org/

University of Pittsburgh Medical Center – http://www.upmc.com/

United Network For Organ Sharing – http://www.unos.org/

U.S. Department of Health and Human Services/First Gov – http://organdonor.gov


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Letters Home to Parents and to Student

Use this letter BEFORE teaching.

Dear Parents or Guardians,

Our _____________________ class will be addressing the issues of organ and tissue donation in the upcoming weeks. The purpose

of these lessons will be to provide the students with the basic information needed to make this decision and also to continue discussing

the topic at home with their parents or guardians.

There are many issues, concerns and feelings about the topic of organ and tissue donation. It is not meant to be a finished lesson

once the student leaves the classroom. Please be aware that your child might be sensitive or preoccupied during and after the in-

school discussion. While we feel it is natural, especially for teens, to have questions and concerns about this topic, it can also turn out

to be either a time of increased sharing and discussion or a missed opportunity to learn more about one another. Even though it may

be uncomfortable for you, a family discussion about organ and tissue donation today could help to make it easier, if necessary, in the

future. Many families only realize too late that they are unaware of how their loved one felt about donation. Over the next several

weeks, the time will be rich for you and your family to talk about this sensitive subject together––free of high emotions, critical time fac-

tors and loss.

After you have your family discussion, each person who wants to be a donor should designate his or her specific wishes on his or

her driver’s license. You can also contact an Organ Procurement Organization (OPO) for further information or education. There is

one on either side of the state––either East or West. You should call the one that corresponds with where you live. The telephone

numbers are:

Eastern Region – Gift Of Life: 1-888-DONORS-1

Western Region – CORE: 1-800-DONORS-7

If you are unsure of which organization you should call, just call 1-877-DONOR-PA, and you will be connected to the OPO in your

area. You can also call the Pennsylvania Department of Health for more information. The toll-free number is: 1-877-PA HEALTH. You

are also invited to contact either OPO for further information, education or for volunteer opportunities. Lastly, if you would like to

hear more about the upcoming lessons, please contact me via the school.

Thank you,

Pennsylvania State Educator

Source: Adapted from the IOPO Toolkit


Use this letter AFTER teaching.

Dear Parents or Guardians,

Our _________________ class recently completed a lesson about organ and tissue donation and transplantation. The purpose of

this lesson was to provide the students with basic information and to encourage them to discuss this important topic with their parents

or guardians.

Please be aware that your child may wish to talk about the class time with you. Even though it is often an awkward conversation to

have, it is vitally important to take this opportunity to discuss your family members’ feelings about organ and tissue donation. To do it

at this time could someday make a decision about donation easier for your family. Many families have regretted not knowing more

about how their loved one feels about the subject; unfortunately, by the time they realized they did not know, it was too late. Especially

as this subject has recently been addressed in school, it is likely that your child is experiencing feelings either for or against donation and

would likely be open to discussion. Why not take time tonight to talk with them?

After a discussion, if you or your child wishes to be a donor, please contact the Organ Procurement Organization (OPO) that is in

your region of Pennsylvania. Here are the numbers:

Eastern Region – Gift Of Life: 1-888-DONORS-1

Western Region – CORE: 1-800-DONORS-7

If you are unsure of which organization you should call, just call 1-877-DONOR-PA and you will be connected to the OPO in your

area. You can also call the Pennsylvania Department of Health for more information. The toll-free number is: 1-877-PA HEALTH. You

are also invited to contact either OPO for further information, education or for volunteer opportunities.

Thank you,

Pennsylvania State Educator

Source: Adapted from the IOPO toolkit

157

Provide to the student AFTER teaching

Dear Parent or Guardian:

During _______________________________ class, I learned about organ and tissue donation and transplantation. An important

part of what I learned was the need for me to talk about my wishes about donation and transplantation with my family.

My feelings are...

___________________________________________________________________________________________________________

___________________________________________________________________________________________________________

___________________________________________________________________________________________________________

_______________________________________________________________________________________________.

I wish to be an organ and tissue donor.

I DO NOT wish to be an organ and tissue donor.

I am NOT SURE at this time.

It is important for me to know how you feel about this subject. I want to take the time to talk with you about it so that we can

both understand more about each other’s wishes.

_______________________________________ ______________________________

Signature Date

Source: Reprinted with permission from the Flow Toolkit/JRI


Documents

Tools for Teachers: Classroom Toolkit - Unyts