It was the middle of February when Dana K. Hols shared with me, “Yesterday was National Organ Donor Day. If you have not registered, please do it now. It only takes a couple of minutes. If you are not sure you think donation is in your belief system, please at least take a few minutes to read about the difference it makes.”
Until Dana’s daughter Kayte Mosher, who was a former student of mine, died from an untimely death at the age of 20 from a brain aneurysm, I knew very little about organ donations, but as Kayte’s mother explained, “Kayte was a healthy young woman physically.” When doctors at University of Iowa Hospitals declared Kayte brain-dead, the family knew organ donation was something Kayte would want to do: “We had discussed our belief about organ donation numerous times. Kayte was willing to donate all of her organs and tissues.”
A month prior, Kayte Mosher was a vibrant young woman scheduled for neurosurgery at University of Iowa Hospitals. Her family was hopeful. Dana recalls, “The neurosurgeon took us all into a tiny private room. My heart sank as I knew Kayte’s surgery had taken six hours longer than anticipated, and I saw tears in his eyes. He told us Kayte’s brain had blown up like a volcano, and that the Kayte we loved was gone. I still do not want to believe it.”
Donating Kayte’s organs, her mother shared, seemed to be a way for something meaningful to come out of Kayte’s untimely death. In the end, though, “Kayte was only able to donate heart valves, corneas, skin, tissue, and bone. We were told after life support was removed Kayte had to die within an hour and a half or her major organs could not be used. She died approximately seven hours after life support removal. So, she was not able to donate her liver, lungs, kidneys, and heart.”
“I feel the need to fight this,” Dana said. “At least five more lives could have been saved through her death if the laws read differently.”
The National Network of Organ Donors is a place for people to go to learn about organ donation,” Dana shared. “By making people aware, it is our hope that we can prevent exactly what happened to Kayte at the time of her passing as it pertains to organ donations.”
Dana said she actually begged doctors in Iowa City to end Kayte’s life so they could go ahead and harvest her organs while there was still time for them to be of use to others who needed them. What a heart-rending confession for a grieving mother to share, but Dana sincerely meant it. “She was going to die anyway. I am still having a hard time wrapping my head around why they could not use them.”
Dana went on to say, “I think it’s also important to note that the law in Iowa states that even if someone is a donor, their family can go against their wishes and choose to not donate. That is wrong, in my opinion.” Perhaps committing to become an organ donor needs to be made as legal and binding as a last will and testament.
In addition to the National Network or Organ Donors, there is also an Iowa Donor Network. Here in Iowa, citizens can actually check a yes box on their Iowa driver’s license declaring their desire to be an organ donor at the time the driver’s license is renewed.
