The Worst Possible Sorrow…and a Most Treasured Gift: Ways that Palliative Care and Palliative Care Providers Can Support Organ Donors and Their Families and Organ Transplant Candidates Awaiting Donation (SA530)

Since the first successful kidney transplants in the 1950s, the specialty of organ donation has grown with donors now able donate up to six organs (kidneys, liver, heart, lungs, small bowel, and pancreas) and with an average of 79 people receiving an organ each day in the US and another 21 people dying each day while waiting for transplant. In 2013, there were 121 272 people in the US on the waiting list for a transplant, and 28 954 candidates actually received transplants. Organ donation is understandably a highly emotional time for all parties; there are many opportunities for palliative care and palliative care providers to improve care for transplant donors and their family members, transplant recipients, and peri-transplant clinicians.
Source: Journal of Pain and Symptom Management - Category: Palliative Care Authors: Tags: Concurrent Sessions Source Type: research