Relay-Version: version B 2.10 5/3/83; site utzoo.UUCP
Posting-Version: version B 2.10.2 9/18/84; site brl-tgr.ARPA
Path: utzoo!watmath!clyde!burl!ulysses!allegra!mit-eddie!think!harvard!seismo!brl-tgr!ron
From: ron@brl-tgr.ARPA (Ron Natalie <ron>)
Newsgroups: net.legal
Subject: Re: life insurance and disconnecting life-support devices
Message-ID: <11262@brl-tgr.ARPA>
Date: Sun, 9-Jun-85 17:56:59 EDT
Article-I.D.: brl-tgr.11262
Posted: Sun Jun  9 17:56:59 1985
Date-Received: Thu, 13-Jun-85 01:01:19 EDT
References: <616@wanginst.UUCP> <724@burl.UUCP> <11235@brl-tgr.ARPA> <733@burl.UUCP>
Distribution: net
Organization: Ballistic Research Lab
Lines: 29

> In article <11235@brl-tgr.ARPA> ron@brl-tgr.ARPA (Ron Natalie <ron>) writes:
> >Unfortunately, a living will does not guarantee anything.  Best to also
> >make sure that your relatives understand your feelings and agrees to it.
> >Otherwise they can circumvent things like organ donation preferences that
> >you have previously indicated.
> 
> Is this really true?  I carry my organ donor card with me at all times;

From "Lisa's Last, Best Gift,"  WASHINGTONIAN, November 1984:

	    If you want to donate, you should make these preparations.
	Maryland, Virginia, and the [District of Columbia] all offer
	organ-donation cards with driver's license renewals.  Signing
	one of these is a good first step.  In addition, tell your next
	of kin about your wishes.  Recently in Maryland, a man about to
	undergo a risky brain operation signed a statement willing his
	organs for donation.  He lost brain function during surgery, and
	his nearest relative turned out to be a long-estranged wife who
	adamantly refused to allow his organs to be transplanted, twarting
	the husband's final wish.  "When people have left specific written
	instructions to donate their organs and the family goes against
	it, we let it drop.  We might be able to win in court, but that's
	winning the battle and losing the war.  It would create a lot of
	bad publicity and turn people off to donataion.
	    The message is clear.  If you want your organs donated so that
	they might help someone else, let those closest to you know your
	wishes.

-Ron