The "real" experience of organ donation and transplantation

A few years ago, our local medical center news paper, Vanderbilt's Reporter, ran a memorable series of articles on tissue and organ donation. Focusing on actual experiences of patients, including recipients and donors and their families, the articles paint a striking picture of the experience of those who receive donated tissues or organs, the families and friends of those who love them, and the donors who make it possible.

Part 1 of "The Greatest Gift" focuses on bone marrow donation, Part 2 considers living donor kidney transplantation, and Part 3 provides a transplant surgeon's perspective on the entire process of organ donation and transplantation.

The organdonor.gov site, produced by the US National Organ and Tissue Donation Initiative, also includes great stories of donors and recipients.

For more information on general and specific topics in organ donation, see the MedlinePlus entry on the topic.