The following is a response to Julie Grimstad’s article on “brain death” which Matt Abbott published in his Renew America column, April 23, 2019. See http://www.renewamerica.com/columns/abbott/190423

 

A few years back, I went to renew my driver’s license and did not check the square to indicate “Donor.” I started to slide my new license into my wallet, and almost didn’t notice the word “donor” under my right thumb in the lower right corner. (Like most people, I’m right-handed and it’s natural to hold it there.) I went back in immediately and asked if I’d done something wrong on my application; I had not. The DMV clerk tried twice before she did what she called a “manual override” to issue my card without the word “donor” on it. She used the time it took to lecture me, though, about my “social responsibility” to help others with my parts, since I will “be dead, anyway.” I told her I’m not opposed to donation—my mother received a kidney from a donor—but I don’t want to be seen merely as the sum of my parts.

 

As I left the DMV, I wondered if there were other unintentional “donors” walking around, like I would have been had I not noticed the error. I had to wonder also if the system is set to default to “donor” or if, once you check the box, it stays checked.

 

Note: Tonchi emailed HALO to request an “I Refuse to be an Organ Donor” card, which we promptly sent to her.