Organ donor bill offers boost

By J.E. Espino

Mar. 28, 2008 (McClatchy-Tribune Regional News delivered by Newstex) --
Observance of the national "donate life month" marked in April opens on more promising ground Tuesday.

The Anatomical Gift Act, the largest update to organ donation laws in 20 years, goes into effect and is expected to increase organ donor participation.

It lowers the age of consent from 18 to 15 and clears the way to establish a donor registry -- where people sign up at any time -- by 2010.

"I can't tell you how many people say, 'I gotta sign up for that sometime. I'd like to do that.' But the intensity level has not broken through the threshold of taking action," said state Rep. Steve Wieckert, a chief sponsor of the bill which was signed into law nearly two weeks ago.

Wieckert, R-Appleton, says the law will change attitudes in Wisconsin, where already the number of people who pledge to become organ donors is greater than the national average of 30 percent.

Under the current system, donors sign up when they renew their driver's licenses every eight years. The state recently cracked the 50 percent mark of those who shared their intent to donate, said Kathy Schultz, a spokeswoman with the University of Wisconsin Health's Transplant and Organ Procurement Organization.

"That's usually the point of contact the public has for signing up. It's kind of like the Halley's Comet approach that once every eight years you have this opportunity," Wieckert said.

The measure is part of a national initiative to streamline organ donation programs across state lines. Wisconsin now joins 36 states, including its neighbors, which have donor registries. Similar legislation is pending in other states.

"When we get to the point where we've got a situation with a potential donor, we don't have to worry about what state laws are applying," said Trey Schwab.

Schwab is a former Marquette University basketball coach turned outreach coordinator for UW-Health OPO after his double-lung transplant in 2004.

"You can will all your assets to everybody else and know that that can't be overruled. -- Same thing should apply to your organs, eyes and tissues," Schwab said.

The measure spells out the power of attorney in cases where a person's wishes are unclear regarding organ donation. It expands the list of people who may make a gift on behalf of a potential donor to include health care agents and children.

It elevates the power of consent of health care agents over family members. The list is as follows: health care agent, spouse, adult child, parent, adult sibling, adult grandchild, grandparent, adult who gave special care and concern, guardian and any other person with authority.

More than 96,000 people in the United States are on a waiting list for transplants, according to the Wisconsin Donor Network. The organization estimates on a national level less than 30 percent of the public has signed a donor card.

The low percentage is disheartening for April Sharkey, a Milwaukee resident who is in need of a double-lung transplant. After being on a waiting list for more than four years, she is at the top of the lists in Milwaukee and Madison.

"There are more myths out here about transplants than facts," she said of a sometimes-complicated process to donate.

Wieckert says he believes convenience will drive up participation.

"I bet if you say this is what it is and if you sign your name, return this piece of paper I'm putting in front of you right now, you'd probably have 89, 90 percent participation."



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