Report: New Yorkers are stingy on organ donations

Aug. 01--When it comes to organ and tissue donation, New York is one of the stingiest states in the nation, according to a report issued this week by Excellus BlueCross BlueShield.

Otsego, Delaware and Chenango counties are not much better, the report showed.

The health insurance company released a fact sheet Tuesday -- called The Facts About Organ Donor Registration in Upstate New York -- that shows that New Yorkers register themselves as donors at less than half the rate other Americans do, even though the need for organs in the state is among the highest in the country.

More than 48 percent of United States citizens are registered organ and tissue donors, the report said, but only 22 percent of New Yorkers are signed up. Yet, New York has the third-highest number of people on transplant waiting lists, according to the report. There are currently more than 11,000 New York residents waiting to receive an organ.

In Otsego County, 31 percent of residents are registered. About 27 percent in Chenango County are willing to donate. And in Delaware County? Just 25 percent of residents are enrolled, according to the report.

Ro Avila knows firsthand the importance of organ donation. Avila, of Delhi, was born with a kidney condition called vesicoureteral reflux. The condition is characterized by the backward flow of urine from the bladder into the kidneys, she said. She began dialysis at the age of 19, but quickly realized something else needed to be done.

After testing her family members, doctors discovered that Avila's sister, Jackie, was a perfect match for donation. In July of 1990, when Avila was 26, she and her sister had surgery at Albany Medical Center, leaving Jackie with one less kidney and Avila with a brand new one, she said.

"More than 24 years have gone by and I haven't had a day of rejection," Avila said. "At the time of my transplant, my doctor told me the average kidney only functions about 10 to 12 years." Although she will always need to take immunosuppressant drugs, Avila is grateful for her improved quality of life, she said.

And her sister? Jackie went on to have three children and does not take any kidney-related medicine, Avila said.

Barb Petersen, a nurse in the intensive care unit at Bassett Healthcare Center and Bassett's liaison with the Center for Donation and Transplants, said she believes there are several reasons why New York has a small percentage of registered donors.

One reason is a lack of education, Petersen said. One particular rumor that needs to be dispelled is the belief that emergency squads at accident scenes do not try as hard to save the lives of organ donors in an effort to procure the victim's organs. The idea that an emergency medical worker would slack off in saving a life so he or she can save a different life is "extremely offensive," she said.

"It comes down to awareness and education," Avila agreed. "I think sometimes families of deceased donors think they won't get the donor's body back if his or her organs or used, and that's not true."

Petersen also said the numbers used in calculating state percentages may be skewed because of the large number of New York City residents.

"There's an awful lot of people there who don't have cars or licenses," Petersen said. "But that process is how many people initially hear about organ donation and have a chance to sign up."

The topic is a sensitive one, Petersen said. People get uncomfortable talking -- and even thinking -- about death. For this reason, hospital's do not promote or suggest the donation of a deceased loved one's organs.

"It's hard," Petersen said. "We're a hospital and we're here to save lives, so we have to be sensitive about it." Whenever a deceased patient's organs are donated, a special flag is flown outside Bassett for the next month, she said. The flag is then sent to the family members of the donor.

Bassett had three donations of organs in April, Petersen said. Two of these were kidneys, New York's most-needed organ, according to the report by Excellus BlueCross BlueShield. The hospital does not perform organ transplants. Anyone waiting to have a transplant in the intensive care unit there would be transferred to a hospital downstate, she said.

New York residents can become organ donors when registering to vote or obtaining a driver's license, the release said. Adults can also enroll as donors anytime online at the New York State Department of Motor Vehicles website or by completing a registration form at www.health.ny.gov.

Organ donation may not be top on your list of priorities now, but it could make a huge difference in someone's life someday, Petersen said.

"It not only saves lives, it improves the quality of lives, too," Avila said. "I could have lived on dialysis, and people can live with blindness or one lung, but a donated organ can significantly enhance that person's life."

22% Percentage of New Yorkers who are registered organ and tissue donors. 31% Percentage of Otsego County residents registered. 27% Percentage of Chenango residents registered. 25% Percentage of Delaware residents registered.

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