Want To Be an Organ Donor? Here’s How To Register

Deciding whether to become an organ donor is no small thing. But it can have a big impact. By registering, you could directly transform more than 80 lives. You can donate up to eight organs to eight different recipients, and donating tissue — like skin, bones and corneas — can benefit another 75.

“We all hope to live a long life surrounded by the people we love. But unfortunate things do happen,” says Enterprise Transplant Director at Cleveland Clinic Kenneth McCurry, MD. “Being able to give something back, to allow someone else to benefit from your life and maybe even prevent them from dying, is a true gift — both to the recipient and their loved ones.”

Dr. McCurry explains how to become an organ donor, factors to consider and why you don’t have to be a picture of health to add your name to a registry.

How to register

There are lots of quick, free ways to register to become an organ donor in the U.S., like:

• Visiting your local driver’s licensing office: You can register any time you visit your state motor vehicle agency. If you aren’t asked, tell them you’re interested. About 50% of registered donors do it this way — including a young Dr. McCurry when he got his first driver’s license.
• Joining the national registry: If you register to be a donor through Donate Life America, you can be sure that your organ donor status is recognized in every state.
• Joining a state registry: Most states have their own organ and tissue donation registry. You can find your state registry through the Health Resources & Services Administration’s website, organdonor.gov. Keep in mind that you may need to re-register if you move out of state.
• Registering in your iPhone Health app: If you use an iPhone, registering to be an organ donor is as simple as editing your profile. Click on your initials or picture in the upper right-hand corner of the screen to open your profile. Under “Features,” select “organ donation” to get started. (Other smartphone brands don’t have this feature as of this publication.)
• Using MyChart: If you’re one of the 180 million people who use a MyChart patient portal to manage their healthcare online, Dr. McCurry says you can now use it to register with Donate Life America. The location of the registration link varies. If you get care at Cleveland Clinic, you’ll find it in the “Quick Links” section of your health summary page. There are detailed directions available online to help you, too.

You can also specify your wish to be an organ donor through a living will or medical power of attorney, if you have one. Just ensure both your healthcare providers and your loved ones have a copy of those documents on file.

This is a good option if you:

• Only want to donate certain kinds of organs or tissues
• Want to appoint a loved one to make the decision for you
• Would like a religious ritual or prayer performed as part of the procurement process

Donation restrictions

Don’t worry too much about whether you’re eligible to be an organ and tissue donor: Anyone over 18 — of any health status — is welcome to add their name to a registry. And anyone who adds their name will be considered.

Unfortunately, most people who register never actually become organ donors. For example, your organs probably won’t be usable if you die:

• Outside a hospital or hospice setting
• With a severe, active infection like sepsis, viral meningitis or tuberculosis
• While receiving treatment for cancer
• Of a prion disease (this is extremely rare)
• By homicide or under suspicious circumstances

Taken together, that’s a lot of would-be donors unable to donate — and part of the reason that about 13 people on the organ transplant waitlist die every day.

It’s also important to keep in mind that science changes — and organ donation guidelines change with them. As of 2013, for example, people living with HIV are potentially eligible to donate their organs to recipients also living with HIV.

So, no matter your health history, don’t assume you can’t make a meaningful difference in someone’s life through an organ or tissue donation.

Talk with your loved ones

Learning how to become an organ donor and getting registered is the easy part — Dr. McCurry says it only takes a couple of minutes. But there’s another part of the process that deserves more time and care: Sharing your decision with your loved ones.

“That can be a hard discussion,” Dr. McCurry recognizes. But if you’re on the list and eligible to donate, it’s a conversation to have sooner rather than later.

Why? Because putting yourself on the organ donor list is a legally binding statement of your wishes. And if you haven’t shared your end-of-life plan with your loved ones, they may end up learning about your preferences from your healthcare provider.

“It’s good to share your perspective with your family so they understand the choice you made,” Dr. McCurry encourages. “It could mean they experience a little less friction during a very painful moment in their lives.”

Wondering what to say? Dr. McCurry shares his “why.”

“I’m obviously not looking forward to dying, but it is natural part of life. The opportunity to make a difference when I do, to me, attaches meaning and hope to it,” he explains. “If I’m able to be an organ donor, I want my family to get some relief — and even some happiness — out of the fact that I was able to help others.”