Please fill out the form to register as an organ and tissue donor. By registering as a donor you consent to donate your organs and tissues at the time of your death. Organs and tissues will be recovered for the purpose of transplantation, however, in the event a donated organ or tissue cannot be used for transplant, an effort will be made to use the donation for research.
Mississippi Organ Recovery Agency strives to educate the public on the importance of organ, eye, and tissue donation by answering all the questions you have about donation. There are many myths and misconceptions about donation that people believe to be fact. Below are some of our most commonly heard myths and the facts behind them.
If they see I have a red heart on my license, they won’t try to save my life.
When you are sick or injured and admitted to a hospital, the only priority is to save your life. Only after all efforts have been exhausted in saving a patient’s life and they have been declared brain dead or have been determined by the attending physician to have a non-survivable injury will organ and tissue donation enter the conversation. In addition, you do not have to have the red heart on your license to be a registered donor.
My family will have to pay for the donation.
There is NO cost to donor families for the expense related to organ, eye, and tissue donation. However, the donor’s family is still responsible for any costs associated with medical care at the end of life, and funeral and burial arrangements.
My family will not be able to have an open casket funeral if I’m a donor.
An open casket is possible for an organ, eye, and tissue donation. Through the entire donation process, the body is treated with care, respect, and dignity.
I don’t think my religion supports organ donation.
Most major religions in the United States support organ donation and consider donation as the final act of love and generosity toward others. Click here for more information.
I’m too old to be a donor.
There is no age limit to organ donation. To date, the oldest donor in the U.S. was age 95. What matters is the health and condition of your organs when you die.
You don’t want my organs.
Very few medical conditions keep you from donating organs. It’s possible that even if there are some organs you can’t donate, you could have other organs and tissues that are fine. Don’t rule yourself out as a donor! Let your healthcare team decide at the time of your death whether your organs and tissues can be transplanted.
