The Truth About Organ Donation | Dan Drew | TEDxWesleyanU

Summary

The speaker recounts their journey from skipping school to join the bone marrow registry to becoming a kidney donor for a local woman, Olivia, suffering from polycystic kidney disease. Despite societal misconceptions, the process was thorough and safe, leading to a successful transplant. The speaker emphasizes the importance of organ donation, dispelling myths about the risks and lifestyle changes involved, and encourages others to consider altruistic donation, highlighting the profound impact it can have on recipients' lives.

Takeaways

• 🏥 The speaker's journey with organ donation began 20 years prior when he skipped school to join the National bone marrow donor registry.
• 💉 He has been a regular blood donor for many years, even involving his wife early in their relationship.
• 📰 As a mayor, he noticed an article about a local woman, Olivia, in need of a kidney due to polycystic kidney disease.
• 🆘 He contacted Yale University and underwent a series of tests to determine his eligibility as a kidney donor.
• 👨‍⚕️ The evaluation process included medical tests, psychological evaluations, and interviews with various medical professionals.
• 🗳️ The decision to accept him as a donor involved a vote by the transplant team, excluding the surgeon due to potential conflict of interest.
• 🔄 Despite initial fears of not being a match, he was found to be a compatible donor for Olivia.
• 📅 The surgery was scheduled quickly, and the process was thoroughly explained to both the donor and the recipient.
• 🎥 The local Fox affiliate was present to document the surgery, aiming to raise awareness about organ donation.
• 🏠 Post-surgery recovery was faster than expected, and the speaker's lifestyle did not need to change significantly.
• ❤️ The experience was deeply satisfying for the speaker, who encourages others to consider organ donation as a way to help others.

Q & A

What sparked the speaker's lifelong passion for organ and tissue donation?

The speaker's passion was sparked when they skipped school to get on the National bone marrow donor registry 20 years prior to the speech.

How did the speaker's first date with his wife go, and what did they do?

The speaker took his wife to give blood on their first date, which did not go smoothly as she passed out.

What medical condition does Olivia suffer from?

Olivia suffers from polycystic kidney disease, a hereditary disease that creates cysts on the kidneys, leading to a degradation of their functionality over time.

What was the significance of the sign Olivia was holding in the script?

The sign Olivia was holding indicated that she was looking for people with O blood type to get tested as potential kidney donors.

What was the speaker's role when he first contacted Yale to get tested for kidney donation?

At the time the speaker contacted Yale to get tested for kidney donation, he was in his third term as the mayor of Middletown, Connecticut.

What was the process like for the speaker to be considered as a kidney donor?

The process included a series of blood tests, a glucose test, a CAT scan, evaluations by a transplant psychiatrist and social worker, meetings with transplant coordinators, nephrologists, and a series of nurses. There were also multiple rounds of testing to confirm compatibility.

Why was the speaker initially hesitant to approach Olivia during the Fourth of July fireworks celebration?

The speaker was hesitant to approach Olivia because he had not yet confirmed if he was a match for her kidney transplant and was afraid of raising false hope.

What was the reaction of the people around the speaker regarding his decision to donate a kidney?

Many people had misconceptions about the transplant process, expressing concerns about the risks involved and questioning the speaker's decision, especially considering his responsibilities as a mayor and a family man.

How did the speaker's experience with kidney donation affect his daily life post-surgery?

The speaker's daily life did not change drastically after the surgery. He was advised to drink lots of water, eat well, and exercise, which were the same recommendations he had before the surgery.

What were some of the misconceptions about organ donation that the speaker aimed to clarify?

The speaker aimed to clarify misconceptions such as the risk of dying during surgery, the need for significant lifestyle changes post-donation, and the belief that one can only donate to a relative.

How did the speaker and Olivia's story contribute to raising awareness about organ donation?

The speaker and Olivia's story was shared through local news and media, including a segment on Good Morning America, to encourage more people to consider becoming altruistic organ donors.

Outlines

00:00

🌟 Life-Changing Decision: Becoming a Bone Marrow Donor

The speaker recounts a pivotal moment from their youth, skipping school to join the National Bone Marrow Donor Registry. This decision was inspired by a deep-seated passion for organ and tissue donation, which had already led them to become a regular blood donor. The narrative also humorously touches on an early date with their future spouse, where they both went to donate blood, despite the date ending with her fainting. The speaker's commitment to donation continued over the years, eventually leading to a significant act of altruism as the mayor of Middletown, Connecticut.

05:00

📰 A Call to Action: Responding to a Kidney Donation Need

While serving as mayor, the speaker discovered an article about a local woman, Olivia, in need of a kidney due to polycystic kidney disease. The article, which included a sign made by a woman in Georgia, prompted the speaker to contact Yale University to explore the possibility of being a donor. The process involved a series of rigorous medical tests and evaluations, including blood tests, a glucose test, a CAT scan, psychiatric and social work consultations, and meetings with nephrologists. The speaker humorously notes their relief at not being recognized by Olivia at a public event before the donation process was confirmed.

10:00

🏥 The Journey to Donation: Matching and Preparation

After a series of tests, the speaker was found to be a match for Olivia. The process to reach this point included a thorough evaluation by a team of medical professionals who voted on the speaker's suitability as a donor. The speaker reflects on the misconceptions about organ donation, emphasizing the rigorous health checks and the low risk associated with the procedure. They also highlight the emotional and social aspects of the journey, including the surprise of being asked to allow media coverage of the surgery, and the personal satisfaction derived from the potential to improve Olivia's life significantly.

15:01

💪 Recovery and Reflection: The Impact of Altruistic Donation

The speaker shares their post-surgery experience, dispelling myths about the recovery process and the impact on one's lifestyle. They emphasize that the surgery was less invasive than expected and that their recovery was swift, allowing them to return to normal activities with minimal disruption. The narrative also includes inspiring stories of other donors and recipients, showcasing the profound human connections and positive outcomes that can result from organ donation. The speaker concludes by encouraging others to consider becoming donors, highlighting the transformative power of such acts on both the giver and the receiver.

Keywords

💡Bone marrow donation

Bone marrow donation is a medical procedure where healthy bone marrow is removed from a donor and transplanted into a recipient who has little or no immune system due to disease or chemotherapy. In the video, the speaker recounts their initial involvement in donating, which sparked a lifelong passion for organ and tissue donation.

💡Blood donor

A blood donor is a person who donates blood for transfusions, often to help those in need due to illness or injury. The speaker mentions being a regular blood donor for about a year before skipping school to join the bone marrow donor registry, highlighting their commitment to donation.

💡Polycystic kidney disease

Polycystic kidney disease (PKD) is a genetic disorder characterized by the growth of numerous cysts in the kidneys, which can impair kidney function over time. In the script, Olivia suffers from PKD, and her family is seeking a kidney donor to improve her health.

💡Kidney transplant

A kidney transplant is a surgical procedure in which a healthy kidney is placed into a person with kidney failure. The video's narrative revolves around the speaker's decision to donate a kidney to Olivia, who is in need of a transplant due to her PKD.

💡Transplant coordinator

A transplant coordinator is a medical professional who helps facilitate the organ transplant process, including donor and recipient matching, and pre-transplant evaluations. The speaker interacts with a transplant coordinator at Yale University, who guides him through the initial stages of the donation process.

💡Transplant nephrologist

A transplant nephrologist is a specialist who focuses on the care of patients with kidney diseases and those undergoing kidney transplants. In the video, the speaker meets with transplant nephrologists who evaluate his medical history and suitability as a donor.

💡Laparoscopic surgery

Laparoscopic surgery is a minimally invasive surgical procedure in which a small incision is made and surgical instruments are inserted through tubes. The speaker mentions that the kidney removal and transplant procedures are performed laparoscopically, contributing to a faster recovery.

💡Altruistic donor

An altruistic donor is a person who donates an organ without being biologically related or having any personal connection to the recipient. The speaker's decision to donate to Olivia, someone he did not know prior, exemplifies the concept of altruistic donation.

💡Donate Life Month

Donate Life Month is an annual observance in April to encourage people to register as organ, eye, and tissue donors and to honor those who have saved lives through donation. The speaker mentions this event as a time when people can consider becoming donors.

💡Paired exchange

A paired exchange is a process where two or more incompatible donor-recipient pairs exchange donors so that each recipient receives a compatible organ. The script mentions a story where a paired exchange allowed four recipients to receive kidneys, illustrating the complexity and impact of such arrangements.

💡Organ donation misconceptions

The video addresses common misconceptions about organ donation, such as the risks involved for the donor or the belief that one can only donate to a relative. The speaker's experience counters these myths, emphasizing the safety and impact of donation.

Highlights

20 years ago, the speaker skipped school to join the National bone marrow donor registry, sparking a lifelong passion for organ and tissue donation.

The speaker had been a regular blood donor for about a year before joining the registry.

As mayor, the speaker read about a local woman, Olivia, in need of a kidney due to polycystic kidney disease.

Olivia's family was seeking a kidney donor with O blood type, which matched the speaker's.

The speaker underwent a series of tests and interviews at Yale University to determine his suitability as a donor.

Despite initial fears of not being a match, the speaker was found to be a compatible donor for Olivia.

The speaker declined media interviews to maintain privacy and focus on the significance of the donation.

Misconceptions about the transplant process were common, with many believing it to be riskier than it actually is.

The speaker emphasized the thorough medical evaluation process that ensures the donor's health is not compromised.

The surgery was performed laparoscopically, a less invasive method that speeds up recovery.

The speaker experienced minimal pain post-surgery and was able to walk around the day of the operation.

Recovery was faster than expected, with the speaker leaving the hospital less than 48 hours after surgery.

The speaker's lifestyle did not need to change significantly post-donation, contrary to common beliefs.

The speaker met other donors and recipients, sharing stories and experiences that highlighted the positive impact of organ donation.

April is recognized as Donate Life Month, encouraging people to consider organ donation and register.

The speaker and Olivia are both doing well post-transplant, with Olivia actively participating in community events.

The speaker concluded by challenging conventional wisdom, emphasizing the importance of questioning and understanding the truth behind organ donation.

Transcripts

[Music]

thank you good afternoon everyone

20 years ago this spring I was a senior

in high school and I skipped school one

day and drove from New Milford

Connecticut which is on the New York

border up to Manchester Connecticut

which is east of Hartford about an hour

and a half away so that I could get my

blood drawn and get on the National bone

marrow donor registry in 20 years I have

not yet been called for a bone marrow

donation but that day sparked a lifelong

passion for organ and tissue donation I

had been a regular blood donor already

for about a year by the time I skipped

school that day and I managed not to get

caught by the way and I'm one of my

first dates with my wife I took her to

give blood and she passed out it wasn't

a particularly fun date but she married

me anyway and I kept giving blood

through the years so fast forward a

while and I am in my third term as mayor

of Middletown Connecticut and I was

reading the paper one morning in my

office and I came across an article I

was reading an online because I'm not

sure anyone holds a print edition of the

paper anymore and I saw this picture

that's a lady who lives here in town a

wonderful woman named Olivia tomorrow

and Olivia and her family her husband

Sal and her children Dante and Ava we're

looking for a kidney for Olivia who

since she was in her teen years had been

suffering from polycystic kidney disease

a hereditary disease of the kidneys that

creates cysts on the body of the organ

to the point where over time its

functionality degrades and the sign that

she's holding is actually a blank piece

of poster board and his woman in Georgia

named Kristy Calloway whose husband

needed a kidney and she started making

these signs for people and this sign was

what caught my eye in particular that it

said that Olivia was looking

for people with Oh blood to get tested

so I called the Yale University at the

the number that you see here and I left

my number my name and my information on

a voicemail line and a couple of days

later I got a call back from a

transplant coordinator at Yale who

conducted a telephone interview with me

why do you want to do this

what's your medical history just some

basic information and they made an

appointment with me to come in to the

transplant clinic in New Haven a couple

of weeks later excuse me a couple of

days later and in between we had our

downtown fourth of July fireworks

celebration here in Middletown and every

year right before we light the fireworks

off I go up on stage where we have the

bands playing patriotic music and I look

out over the crowd of thousands of

people and I wish a happy birthday to

America and then we do a big countdown

and we light off the fireworks and maybe

three or four rows right in front of me

was Olivia and her family I didn't know

her at the time and I hadn't told her

that I contacted Yale in order to get

tested and I so desperately wanted to go

and say hello to her I wanted to tell

her what I was doing but I was terrified

that maybe I wouldn't be a match just

because you have the same blood type

doesn't necessarily mean that you're

going to be a match for that person on

the following week I went into Yale and

I underwent a series of blood tests

glucose a blood sugar test they put me

through a cat scan I was evaluated by a

transplant psychiatrist I had a meeting

with a transplant social worker I had a

meeting with transplant coordinators

with a series of nurses and

nephrologists they did a whole series of

tests and then a little while went by

and they called me again and they said

come back for more testing so I came

back for some more testing and they took

more blood and you go through a number

of physical tests and interviews and

based on the first round of tests they

have me sit down with to transplant

nephrologists and they went through my

entire medical history with me I found

out that when I was in high school I had

had mono which I never even knew and

they were able to pinpoint antibodies

that were in my

blood down to just one part in several

millions I think and then at the end of

this process they bring together this

entire team of transplant professionals

and I met the person who would be my

surgeon dr. Sanjay Kulkarni at this

point I still didn't even know whether

or not I was a match and when they

decide whether to take you as a donor or

not they don't allow the surgeon who's

going to work on you to be part of the

team that ultimately decides because

they consider it a conflict of interest

so they remove that surgeon and the rest

of the team the social workers the

nephrologists the nurses the

psychiatrist they all come together in a

room and they evaluate you and then they

vote and being a mayor I've been voted

on many times so that was a familiar

process for me and luckily I won that

election too as it turns out my blood

was a match for Olivia's and my kidney

was a match for Olivia's and so they

called me one afternoon and they said

you're a match we have to tell Olivia

and then we'll get a surgery date set

so the transplant center called Olivia

they arranged for her to come into my

office and meet my wife and I and so we

brought her in and she got there and she

had a bouquet of flowers and she said to

me when I told her I just looked kind of

puzzled and I said I'm your donor and

we're gonna do the surgery whenever

you're ready and she said oh I have

flowers for you I thought for whatever

reason I thought you would be a woman

she had no idea and we scheduled the

surgery for three weeks later and what

happened at that point I was

particularly interesting for me Olivia

let her family and friends know over

Facebook that she'd had a donor that I

was going to be donating my kidney to

her and we scheduled the surgery for the

end of August and I started getting

bombarded by news stations that wanted

to do an interview when I said no to all

of them and then the really interesting

part was how many people came to me with

misconceptions about the transplant

process and so ever since then I felt a

responsibility to clarify for people

what it's actually like what it means

what it feels like and to

tell people at least from the

perspective that I had because I can

only speak to my own experience what

this was ultimately like the good news

for what I'm about to tell you is that

everyone I know who's donated has had

the same experience and I'll share some

of their stories with you towards the

end one of my favorite shows in the

world is Curb Your Enthusiasm with the

genius American philosopher Larry David

and Larry Larry has a season season 5 of

that show when he's debating whether or

not to give his kidney to the comedian

Richard Lewis who is very sick and needs

a kidney and a lot of the themes that

popped up in that season which

coincidentally my wife and I happened to

be watching at the same time were things

that people told me I had people coming

up to me saying you have a huge risk of

dying it's actually not true there's

never been a death at Yale and the

number of deaths in surgery for

transplant are extraordinarily low

nationwide and statistically and the

surgical techniques have advanced

significantly since the early onset of

this type of surgery in fact they do the

whole thing laproscopically now and

you're in and out before you know it I

had people coming up to me and saying

this is irresponsible of you you run a

whole city you're the father of four you

have a wife you have a baby at home and

I did my youngest at the time was only 6

months old 8 months old excuse me

and so I had people telling me all kinds

of things and people are telling me why

would you want to do that and that was

the thing that struck me that the most

there were a number of people saying why

would you ever want to do this and I can

only tell you that the idea that you

could contribute a piece of yourself to

someone else so that they could be there

for their kids at their wedding so that

they could be there when their kids go

away to college

so that they could live a happy and

fulfilling life was an incredibly

satisfying experience and one that was

extraordinarily worthwhile and one that

doesn't necessarily match up with the

misconceptions that are out there about

organ donation the process

to undergo donation was so extraordinary

thorough they will not take you unless

they are absolutely confident that

you're healthy and that your body and

your mind can handle the surgery and

then the process of recovery so fast

forward a couple of weeks we go in for

one last round of blood tests they bring

you in two days before the surgery and

they run one redundant round of tests so

that they can be sure that they didn't

accidentally switch vials and and take

your kidney and put it into someone

who's not a match so they are

extraordinarily thorough and I got to

the hospital and I was ready to meet

with my transplant coordinator a

wonderful woman named Joyce who works at

Yale and they sent me to the waiting

room in the transplant clinic and I'm

sitting there and across from me is a

guy and just an absolutely beautiful

suit

this suit must have cost well I'm not

gonna guess but it was real more than I

make in a year I think and he smiled at

me and he said hello and I said hey how

you doing I just assumed he was another

patient so I got called into my

appointment and a few minutes later they

said hang on we have someone that wants

to talk to you and it was this gentleman

and it turns out he was the hospital PR

staff and they had made arrangements

with the local Fox affiliate to be in

the operating room for my surgery and

Olivia's for the purpose of sharing our

story and hopefully getting more people

to come out as altruistic donors because

one of the other large misconceptions

that's out there is that you can only

donate to a relative which of course

isn't true and so I said well I I don't

know I'm gonna have to ask my doctor and

he said oh we've already arranged the

whole thing all you need to do is say

yes or no so Olivia said yes and

subsequently I said yes the day of the

surgery my wife and I get to the

hospital they bring us upstairs they put

you in the little embarrassing gown that

you have to wear and then they said walk

down the hall with us to the operating

room so I was walking down the hall

holding it closed in the back and I

walked into the operating room laid down

on the table they strapped you in so

that you don't shift around during the

surgery and and then they said we're

gonna give you a sedative and you'll

start to feel it but when I'm gonna put

you out just yet and I got a little bit

dizzy and I said I could I can feel that

he said there's there's more where

that's coming from and I was laying up

and looking at them and the last thing I

remember saying is I hope you're all

Democrats and and that's it then I woke

up in the recovery room and I could hear

my infant my a baby girl Lily and she

was in there with my wife and then they

wheeled me to my room and while I was in

surgery this is still of one of the

videos shot by the local Fox affiliate

that's dr. Sanjay Kulkarni of Yale

University who is one of the premier

transplant surgeons in the entire world

and that's me on the table and one of

the things they do when they're doing

the surgery which is entirely

laparoscopic is they puff you up with

gas and that's what gives them the room

that they need to maneuver in removing

the organ once the organs out they bring

it to the next operating room over and

they transplant it into the recipient so

I was told that I was gonna not by the

doctors they told me I was gonna be a

little sore but the public people that I

met around they said you're gonna be

extraordinarily sore you're gonna be in

so much pain it's gonna be worse for you

then it's going to be for the recipient

and I don't think any of it was true I

was up walking around that day I was a

little sore but I was up walking around

the day of the surgery and here's a

picture of me moments before we're about

to leave the hospital less than 48 hours

later that's just before noon two days

after the surgery not even a full 48

since I had come out of anesthesia a few

minutes after this we left the hospital

and drove home and I spent the next week

watching reruns of Curb Your Enthusiasm

and the joy of painting with Bob Ross

and falling asleep on my couch because

the one thing I was told that ended up

being really true was that I would be

very tired and so I would lay down on my

recliner and I would Zonk out which

isn't that out of the ordinary for me

anyway a lot of people think that your

lifestyle has to change drastically that

you have to change your diet that you

have to change your habits that you

can't function

the way you used to function and that's

just not true I live the same life today

that I lived before the advice the

doctors give you is the same that they

gave me before drink lots of water eat

good food exercise the one thing that I

thought I thought was funny and I don't

think it was the doctors that told me

this but somebody said we don't

generally want you taking significant

physical risks like skydiving or

rappelling off buildings because if you

do and you have an accident you only

have one kidney and I remember thinking

if I have my go skydiving and I have an

accident I've got bigger problems than

just having one kidney so it really

didn't change my life very much at all

but there are all kinds of incredible

stories and all kinds of people that

I've met through this whole process this

is a woman named Sally she lives about a

half an hour from here she became

friends with a woman who was the mother

of someone who was on her son's hockey

team that woman needed a kidney

Sally donated and now she runs a

non-profit designed to raise awareness

about organ donation this is a woman

named Hillary she lives in New Haven her

husband was ill and needed a kidney an

altruistic donor came forward someone

who didn't know any of them and offered

up her kidney and was able to trigger a

paired exchange in which a kidney from

one person goes to another and then

another person who matches goes to

another so four recipients got kidneys

Hillary didn't match her husband but her

husband got a kidney and she gave her

kidney to somebody else

four people about kidneys for donors

gave everyone was super healthy it was

one of the largest paired matches that

Yael ever did just a couple of years ago

this is Jen and Matt they live also

about a half hour from here in a

different direction

Matt was sick with liver disease and Jen

donated a portion of her kidney to her

husband and today they're both doing

very well this is Elizabeth and Maria

Olivia and I flew last year to film a

segment for Good Morning America

honoring Christy Calloway the woman who

put together the sign that caught my eye

to begin with and we met Elizabeth and

Maria in Georgia while we were filming

this segment to honor Christy they

connected because of Christy's work as

well and Elizabeth has polycystic kidney

disease maria donated to her and today

they're extraordinarily close

so if you would like to donate and I

strongly urge you to consider it you can

contact the Yale transplantation Center

you can contact Hartford Hospital

there's a two major transplantation

transplantation centers in Connecticut

and of course April is Donate Life Month

so if you're watching this live

streaming or if you go home and you

don't live in Connecticut and you want

to do it somewhere else

go to donate life net and as part of

Donate Life Month you can connect with a

transplantation center yourself today

Olivia and I are both doing

extraordinarily well we're both very

healthy and this photo was taken two

weeks after our surgery we were both

still recovering but feeling good enough

that we were out at a walk to raise

awareness and money for breast cancer

research so we walked together around

the track of our local high school and

many times and where she is doing

extraordinarily well

I get to see her around town all the

time and she is a wonderful woman who

will go on to do many extraordinary

things as will her family and if I can

impress upon you one thing as a result

of this talk today it's that as with

most things in life what appears to be

the truth and what conventional was

conventional wisdom tells us is the

truth it's very often wrong and the

truth is different the truth is better

than what people would have you believe

and as a result we can do incredible

things as ordinary people to help others

thank you so much and everyone

[Music]

you