Did you know that you could donate your brain? Ack! Would anyone really do that? I would. And as my mother's guardian, she will.
Am I abusing my power? No, I'm finding a way to make something good come out of all the horrible things we've endured because of her paranoid schizophrenia. Together we might be able to help others with the information gleaned from our brains. Separately, I need any answer I can get. Why does one person become afflicted and another not? Is it hereditary? Is it caused by physical or emotional trauma?
The Harvard Brain Tissue Resource Center is studying schizophrenia and manic depressive illness through brain tissue donations. They need not only the patient (hard to get) but also any "normal" sibling, offspring, or parent relatives.
Truthfully, I'm excited about this. The center sent me a Psychiatric Brain Donation Information brochure. I signed up both myself and my mother using the simple card attached. They will one day send back the results. I've always wanted to know any tidbit that could help me understand better. What happened? Why is she this way?
The body remains intact. You can still have an open casket funeral, but you must act immediately to preserve the donated organ. In fact, this will take me out of donating other organs because the brain donation is not compatible with organ donation. I still think it's worth doing. There just aren't enough opportunities for scientists to have close relatives able to donate.
Maybe this can somehow make a difference. Another family might find a cure or at least a treatment. I hope to give back a sense of relationship to another family that is struggling through mental illness. I hope that my mother and I can do that together one day or at least be a part of a bigger cure.
Would you donate to the Brain Bank?
For more information visit: www.brainbank.mclean.org or call 800.272.4622
7 comments:
Very interesting, Angie! I've already signed up as an organ donor, so I guess I would consider doing the brain as well.
You're generous to do this to help others!
Missy
Ah,sad quandry. We have to choose one or the other. We cannot donate both organs and our brain.
Would you still?
Angie
As soon as I posted my message, I realized I hadn't worded it correctly. :) I meant to say that I think since I have no problem donating organs, that I would probably consider donating my brain instead. Still, it is a little harder to consider. Something about the brain makes it feel so much more like it's "me". It wouldn't be quite so hard to let go of my kidney. :) So it would be harder to do for the brain.
I guess if it came down to signing papers, it would be kind of hard for me. But if I had someone in my family that had suffered like your mother, I might find it easier to do.
Now I'm rambling! LOL
Missy
I'd like to comment on the discussion regarding donating your organs vs donating your brain. They are not incompatible with each other per se. The issue is if you are a likely candidate for cadaveric (after death) organ donation, it is because your brain has herniated from some type of injury or condition and you are demonstrating signs of brain death...which is death, not a coma, by neurological criteria. This would render your brain unusable for research investigating mental disorders such as autism, schizophrenia or bi-polar disorder, the three leading programs seeking brain donation today. If you die from cardiac death, the most common form of death declaration
(deterrmined by cardiovascular criteria rather than neurological), you can not donate your organs as your body is not being manitained on a ventilater necessary for profusion to the organs. But you most certainly can donate a multitude of tissues as well as the brain, provided you meet the medical criteria. While organ donation can save up to 8 lives depending on the age of the donor, one tissue donor can impact over 50 lives because of the ubiquitous nature of that gift. The most important thing to know is your own personal wishes and discuss them with family so they don't have to panic about what you'd want or have to make the decision themselves if they are uncomfortable doing so. Its one of the most compassionate things you cna do for family members as well as those who might receive your gifts.
To my friend who posted that brain and organ donations are compatible. I would love that to be true, and it may be for the other donation processes. But, I was specifically told for the schizophrenia donation through the Harvard School that it wasn't. I don't fully understand the medical issues, but again, the representative I spoke to on the phone made sure I understood that I would have to choose in this particular study. So be it, I choose to help the schizophrenia study. I hope the others are more compatible as you say:-)
Thank you so much!
Angie
Again I'd like to try to clarify this issue of brain and organ donation compatibility. You can register yourself as both a potential organ donor with your MVA and a brain donor with Harvrad because you have no idea what the eventual cause of your death will be. If you succumb to a brain injury that results in brain death your brain will not be acceptable for brain research because of the damage and organ donation will be possible, provided other medical criteria is met. If your death does not result in your being sustained on ventilation support, meaning you are pronounced cardiac dead, organ donation is not a possibilty but brain, eye and tissue donation is. Its possible the representative from the brain bank you spoke with is not aware of this or there might be some communication disconnect. In any event, as someone who has worked in anatomical donation for 10 years I respect and honor your generosity of spirit in wanting to help those currently in need as well as generations to come. I thank you for your willingness to make these gifts. They are so needed and you as an individual can make such a difference to so many. Please do continue your quest for information regarding this. And I hope it is mnay years to come before your family needs to honor your special wishes!
To 10 years in organ donation,
Thank you for the clarification. That makes so much sense. You are highly appreciated.
Angie
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