Something most of us have had to learn throughout the years through our own experience or those of a loved one is that the human body can sometimes fail us in ways that make recovery immensely difficult or downright impossible. For example, organ failure can be difficult to address other than by means of an organ transplant, a procedure that most people are familiar with. However, a lesser known but equally important procedure in life-saving medical interventions is tissue donation.
Used in various surgical applications, donated tissue can save lives or considerably improve the quality of life for those suffering from severe medical conditions. A single tissue donor can benefit countless people, helping them heal and embark on a new journey in their lives.
How Does Tissue Donation Work?
The tissue donation process is one in the same with signing up for organ donation itself. Tissue procurement will be done around the same time as the organ recovery process, making it a quick and efficient process all around. You can learn more about tissue donation by contacting Gift of Hope.
What sets this procedure apart is that the donated tissue can be stored and processed for a far longer period of time than organs typically can.
What Qualifies as Tissue Donation?
Fortunately, there are many different types of tissue that can be donated in order to alleviate suffering or even save lives.
Bone – People expecting to receive artificial joint replacements are also looking at receiving donated bone as part of their medical intervention. This procedure can considerably alleviate their pain and increase their mobility.
Cornea – Many people experience damage to their corneas as a result of birth defects, eye diseases, and injuries. A cornea transplant can help in cases of distorted or cloudy vision, or even when vision has been lost altogether.
Skin – This tissue transplant is especially beneficial for burn victims, whose infections need to be stopped and who typically need to have their scarring reduced.
Heart valves – A heart valve transplant can be a real lifesaver and is recommended for people with congenital heart defects or damaged heart valves.
Tendons – Tendon transplants are very common among athletes who have suffered damage to their joints and, as a result, end up experiencing pain and reduced mobility.
How Can Your Tissue Donation Help?
Depending on the type of tissue you’re donating, you can enable athletes with damaged tendons to regain their strength and perform again, you can bring a glimmer of hope to the people who’ve lost mobility in some areas of their bodies or you can save the lives of those who’ve been involved in fires or explosions and need skin transplants. The possibilities of giving a helping hand are limitless and require very little effort on your part while giving back immeasurable amounts of satisfaction. All you need to do is register to be an organ and tissue donor.
