6 , The Message -- for Catholics of Southwestern Indiana Map 13, 1988
I I
I II II I
The gift of life
Catholic Cht=rch has long history of support for organ donations
By MARY T. ELLERT
Message Staff Writer
Life and death issues fre-
quently find the Church and
Medical Science with differing
viewpoints. The Catholic
Church, however, is "one of the
longest religious supporters" of
organ and tissue donation, ac-
cording to Barbara Gibson,
regional transplant coordinator
for Indiana University Hospital.
Pope Pius XII, who served
from 1939-58, was the first
)ope to support the idea of
IIIII II I I llll
organ donation and transplan-
tationj according to Gibson. His
teachings on the subject are still
relied upon today by Pope John
Paul II, she said.
Sister Catherine Kelly, direc-
tor of pastoral care at St. Mary's
Medical Center, Evansville,
described the process of organ
and tissue transplantation as
"very gospel-oriented in terms
of laying one's life down for
one's friends." The best gift a
person can give is the gift of
life, she explained.
Currently, there are over 240
New doors
On Easter Sunday, Bishop Francis R. Shea dedicated three
new stained glass double-doors at the entrance of St.
Boniface Church, Evansville. Pictured above is a portion of
one set of seven-foot doors, which features detailed pictures
of St. Boniface and a replica of the church building. Above
the doors are stained glass transoms. The new "Bavarian"
stained glass doors match the original stained glass win-
dows in the 107-year-old church. The $52,000 project was
started in June of 1885; the doors were completely installed
this past December. The artwork was designed by
Evansville artist Joseph Stagg, and the doors were made by
a company in Chicago. Also at the parish, around $70,000
was spent to repair the church roof, ceiling and storm win-
dows following a wind storm Dec. 14, 1987. The church
plans to get new carpeting soon, and studies are currently
being taken on the possibility of air-conditioning, according
to Bob Koressel and Joan Preske, parishioners.
-- Message Photo by Mary T. Ellen
Indiana residents waiting for an
organ or tissue transplant, ac-
cording to the Indiana Organ
Procurement Organization,
Inc., {IOPOI).
IOPOI was created in October
1987 "to insure a unified
system for the procurement and
distribution of organs and
tissues for transplantation."
Member organizations include:
Indiana University Hospitals,
Indianapolis; Methodist
Hospital, Indianapolis; Indiana
Lions Eye Bank, Indianapolis;
American Red Cross Blood
Services-Fort Wayne Region
Transplantation Services, Fort
Wayne; and Central Indiana
Regional Blood Center Tissue
Bank, Indianapolis.
Because of the great need for
donors, an amendment to the
state Uniform Anatomical Gift
Act was passed in 1986, which
requires hospitals to develop
policies and procedures regard-
ing procurement of organ and
tissues. By law, hospital of-
ficials are required to approach
family members, when a
relative dies, and inform them
of their option to donate their
loved one's tissues o r organs.
"It's a very difficult time to
approach a family with this
kind of issue," said Lisa Targ-
gait, director of social services
at St. Joseph's Hospital, Hunt-
ingburg. Her first priority is to
assist family members with
their grief and take care of their
immediate needs. After this,
she explains the procedures for
organ donation.
According to the Uniform
Anatomical Gift Act, anyone
who is 18 or older and of sound
mind may become a donor
when he dies. Interested per-
sons can become donors by
• .:
Buehlers I.G.A.
"The Thrifty Housewife's
Source of Savings"
QUALITY FOODS, MEATS
HUNTINGBURG
Compliments
Nass & Son Inc.
FUNERAL HOME
Huntingburg, Ind.
FOR COMPLETE
ELECTRICAL SERVICE
H.G. FISCHER
FIT. 1 ST. ANTHONY
i
I |1
Ii •
, CHURCH WINDOW RESTORATION & STORM GLASS
WINDOWS AND TIFFANY-STYLE SHADES
DESIGNED, FABRICATED & REPAIRED
1220 FIRST AVENUE., EVANSVILLE, It': 47710
TIMOTHY L. DASSEL
PRESIDENT
PHONE: 425-8658
=l i
AREA CODE: 81, ° .
DC00'IqUT
completing an organ donor
card, which is available at the
Division of Motor Vehicles,
Minors may become donors
with the consent of a parent or
guardian.
Even though a person has
signed the back of his driver's
license or a uniform donor card,
it is still up to the next-of-kin to
decide whether or not his
wishes are carried out.
It is for this reason that com-
munication is important,
according to Gibson. If a person
feels strongly about being an
organ or tissue donor, he
should let his family members
know, so that they will have no
question about how he feels
about it.
All cadaver organ transplants
come from persons who have
met the universal criteria for
brain death. Brain death is the
condition in which the brain
has ceased functioning, but
other organs may continue
functioning with medical
support.
The heart, liver and kidneys
must be removed immediately
to insure a successful
transplant. Timing is less
critical in the procurement of
bone and tissue, which takes
place within 24 hours of death.
Bone is used for facial
reconstructive surgery, spinal
fusions and to correct birth
defects in children. Skin is used
to treat burn victims. Eye tissue
is used for corneal transplants
and research.
Indiana University Hospital
usually sends letters to the
donor's family, informing them
about the success of the
transplant and how the patient
is doing, according to Mike
Keller, manager of the intensive
care unit at Memorial Hospital
in Jasper. However, he added
that there is "strict anonymity"
between the donor's family and
the recipient.
Some families of dono
never want any information
about the transplants, accord-
ing to Gibson. With some
families, though, there is the
danger of believing the loved
one is "living on."
If relatives think their loved
one is still alive because of an
organ transplant, they have not
completed the grieving process
and should consider seeking
counsehng,' said Gibson. ,
She described her job as
regional transplant coordinator
as "emotionally and physically
exhausting" because it involves
a great deal of grief counseling.
There are rewards, though, in
knowing that transplant reci-
pients can recover to lead "near
normal lives."
Gibson recalled a particularly
heart-wrenching story of a
young mother who lost her
child. Because she donated her
child's tissues and organs,
seven people were helpf*l
through cornea, kidney, li,e
and heart transplants.
"She was able to reach out in
her time of grief because she
cared," said Gibson. The
mother explained that she felt
selfish, as if the only reason she
donated her child's tissues and
organs was so that she would
feel better.
"I didn't see it as a selfis
act," said Gibson. "If all of us
were this 'selfish,' the world
would be a much better place.
"It's people like her is what
my job is all about -- to give
them something to hang onto."
II
PAT BOONE CONCERT
Friday, May 20% 8:00 p.m.
Vanderburgh Auditorium
To Benefit Senior Citizens
€,
Tickets: $10 00 (only)
Personal Reception with Pat Boone
$ 75°°/Couple o.,.. ,o o c..
AVAILABLE AT:.
S.W.I.R.C.A. or call 464-7800
Schnucks
Easter Seals (Rehab Center on Bellemeade)
Sx=dey
Southwestern Indiana
RogionsI Co¢il on Aging
and
The Soutl/mJtem Indiana
Senior Czane Foundallon, Inc.
