Organ Transplant Scientific Advance

Anna1111 · **Joined:** Sat Jun 30, 2012 7:14 pm **Posts:** 8115

http://www.bbc.com/news/health-29751880

I think I've mentioned on here before- Heart transplants are always done with hearts that are *still beating" - they take the heart out after brain death, but before the heart has stopped beating (an option that I have never been ethically comfortable with). The same has been true of all other organs except the kidneys & eyes (contrary to the reporting in this article).

Now, scientists in Australia have been able to transplant 3 hearts that had stopped beating. (They have recently done the same with a couple of other organs, too!) This is *wonderful* news, as it will make organ transplants less of a moral dilemma.

Sis · **Joined:** Sat Jun 30, 2012 5:22 pm **Posts:** 8837

I think there needs to be a LOT more education about this subject. When ds died, he was an organ donor BUT.... I didn't know the answer to a lot of the questions they needed to know before they could use the organs. Time ran out and it didn't happen. Donors should have to fill out paperwork to the extent they can and their history needs to be available from medical sources.

Darla · **Posted:** Fri Oct 31, 2014 2:04 pm

For me, the moral dilemma is with organ transplantation itself, not at which point an organ is harvested. Right now outside any such emergency situation, I would say I would not receive an organ from someone else and I am not currently an organ donor myself. I do admit, however, that I hope I'll never be in a position of having to decide about organ transplant for someone I love (whether they're going to receive an organ). I could see where if, for example, my own son was needing a heart in order to live that I'd want to consider receiving someone else's heart for him. So there's still a dilemma for me, it's just in a different "place" as it were.

Anna1111 · **Joined:** Sat Jun 30, 2012 7:14 pm **Posts:** 8115

Well, as far as the Church is concerned, Organ Donation (after death) is considered a Blessed thing.

But, as far as gut feelings on the matter - I'm not comfortable with it either. I'd be okay with donating my Kidneys after my heart had naturally ceased - or other major organs when they have perfected it. Being a recipient tho? It would be a difficult thing. I DO have a family member who is alive because of a donated major organ - and we're really happy to have them! : )

Darla · **Posted:** Fri Oct 31, 2014 5:43 pm

Anna1111 wrote:

Well, as far as the Church is concerned, Organ Donation (after death) is considered a Blessed thing.

Actually, some of our priests have said a clear "nyet."

Anna1111 · **Joined:** Sat Jun 30, 2012 7:14 pm **Posts:** 8115

That's very strange - every Priest I have ever heard on the topic has heartily endorsed it - as long as the heart has actually stopped.

Has your Priest stated that this is an official position in your Jurisdiction? (I though you were Antiochian - Nyet is Russian - have you heard this from more than one jurisdiction ?) Did he say why he felt this was wrong?

Darla · **Posted:** Fri Oct 31, 2014 6:45 pm

It was a few years ago now, but stuck with me because I'd always felt that way personally, and appreciated that I wouldn't be considered off the wall in Orthodox world. We were at a multi-parish retreat with one priest from southern California as the speaker. His topic was Dying and Death. Someone asked a question on organ donation because it was related to something he'd said in talking about what to do at the moment of death (and soon after) and something along the lines of "not allowed" (or "prefer not") was stated. There were other priests in attendance and there was no rebuttal. Part of the reason, as I recall, is that because in Orthodoxy, the nous "resides" in the heart and giving that part of one's self to another after death wasn't a good idea. A story was told of how a person who'd received a donated heart developed the preferences/opinions/something that were the deceased. They weren't just talking about hearts, though.

The ECF's obviously wouldn't have talked about it; I don't know if our jurisdiction has an official position. Our priests are very "in tune" with our Bishop (now the Metropolitan) when it comes to practice and tradition, so it's possible this would be another thing with which they're on the same page. I don't know that for sure though.

Darla · **Posted:** Fri Oct 31, 2014 6:49 pm

And yes, we're Antiochian. The "nyet" was just me. I don't know how to say "no" in Arabic.

Anna1111 · **Joined:** Sat Jun 30, 2012 7:14 pm **Posts:** 8115

http://orthodoxwiki.org/Organ_donation

I found this after I asked you - it seems that "the jury is still out" - understandably. We really don't have ANY official Orthodox certainties on issues that arose after 1054 (imo). Abortion & Homosexuality are easy - they've been around forever. But successful Organ donation IS uncharted territory!

(and on a lighter note, the Jews have an expression about themselves "Two Jews, Three Opinions" - they're not the only ethnicity of whom that is true! ; )

Delighted with your comment about your lack of an Arabic "no" - perhaps I can find out for you - we're very close to some Arabic folk here : )

Darla · **Posted:** Fri Oct 31, 2014 7:31 pm

We have an Arabic gal in our parish. She says the Lord's Prayer during Divine Liturgy; I love listening to it. Haven't hear her say "no" though!

I think another aspect for me would be the Divine Eucharist. We know how seriously we take that (burning anything that the Gifts may have touched that wasn't consumed, for example). That bread and wine that has become the body and blood of Christ is the "medicine of immortality" -- a physical reality in our bodies. So to then put parts of that body that has received the Eucharist into the body of another just doesn't seem right somehow. Again, that's just one of my thoughts.

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