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Barriers to organ donor signups: Strange story, indecision

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Published  October 29, 2024 5:37pm CDT
Minnesota
FOX 9

Organ donations needed despite misinformation

Organ donations save hundreds of lives in Minnesota every year, but misinformation and apprehension among male donors can be credited with keeping demand high.

The Brief

    • A strange story and simple indecision are barriers to organ donation, which have saved about 800 lives in Minnesota in 2023.
    • A man in Kentucky was scheduled for organ donation, but regained consciousness before surgery.
    • Facts in that case are unclear, but in Minnesota, the organ procurement organization LifeSource has protocols in place to make sure organs are never taken from a patient who might still have life.

ST. PAUL, Minn. (FOX 9) - Organ donations save hundreds of lives in Minnesota every year, but a strange story and simple indecision are becoming barriers to the gift of life.

Hope in sadness

Making the decision to donate helped save about 800 lives in Minnesota last year alone, with each donor saving more than three people waiting for organs.

A decade after losing his son during gall bladder surgery, Gary Bougie can see hope in the sadness.

"How does it give me hope?" Bougie said. "Well, my son didn't die in vain. It helps me with my grief."

Donors can heal dozens

The younger Bougie’s organs and tissue helped heal people in 25 states, including a professional tennis player.
Another donor helped save Ben Williams not long after his NFL career ended.

With a new kidney and a new lease on life, he earned an MBA and became the Minnesota representative to the NFL players’ union.

"All of these accomplishments were made possible because one person made the choice to be a donor," Williams said.

Men underrepresented as donors

Men are underrepresented on donor lists, statistics show.

Barely half of Minnesota men are registered, but they make up 62% of the waiting lists for organs.

Myths and misconceptions 

"Unfortunately, myths and misconceptions are a key reason people hesitate to register as organ donors," said Kelly White, the CEO of LifeSource.

The myths and misconceptions aren’t usually as wild as a belief in a blurry Bigfoot.

A lot of people mistakenly believe resolved cancer or high blood pressure might prevent you from donating organs.

Strange scenario prompts opt-outs

Donate Life America found about 170 people are opting out of a national donor registry every day in the wake of reporting on a 2021 incident in Kentucky, where a patient was scheduled for organ donation but regained consciousness before surgery.

"LifeSource has strong protocols and policies that we follow that would never allow something like that to occur," said White.

‘Don't be misled’

Gary Bougie hopes people aren’t misled into inaction by a worst-case scenario where a lot of the facts are still unclear.

He wants everyone to ‘check the box,’ so family members aren’t left to make the donor decision in the thick of their grief.

"I could have said ‘no’ because I was distraught — beyond distraught — two hours after losing my otherwise healthy son," he said.

Agreeing to be a donor is as easy as checking a box when you get or renew your drivers license.

You could also sign up online at the LifeSource registry here.