There are some things we can not change and unfortunately brain death is one of them.
Before declaring brain death, the physician will perform a series of tests to determine
brain injury/dysfunction, the patient's ability to breathe without assistance, pupil
response to light, stimulus response and blood flow to the brain.
If brain death is declared, it means the person is dead. There is no hope for recovery
because blood is not flowing to the brain, thus no oxygen is carried to the brain to allow
it to function. The ventilator only keeps the heart beating, and other organs and tissues
preserved until family decisions can be made. The heart, kidney, liver or other solid organs
may function only a few hours or days after brain death.
Many find hope in knowing that others might live through the giving the "Gift of Life".
Up to 50 lives can be saved or enhanced if a family agrees to donate their loved ones
organs and tissues. Donation does not prevent a family from having a traditional open
casket funeral, is accepted by most religions and the donor family will bear no expenses
(evaluation and retrieval of the organs and tissues are responsibility of the procurement agency).
If you have further questions, please contact your nurse, physician or the Midwest Transplant
Network at 1-800-366-6791.
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