Close to people | Stories from Bethel
Organ Donation Day: "Many people should consider the question"
4 June is Organ Donation Day. Over 80 per cent of the adult population are in favour of organ donation, but only a small proportion actually have an organ donor card in their pocket. "As many people as possible should consider the question of organ donation," says Dr Friedhelm Bach, Transplantation Officer at Bethel Protestant Hospital (EvKB). "And decide in favour or against, but make a commitment and thus exercise their right to self-determination." Above all, Dr Bach knows from his day-to-day work that a documented decision would be a blessing for the bereaved relatives, who very often have to make a far-reaching decision in an exceptional emotional situation, often without knowing the wishes of their loved one.
On 1 March 2022, the amendment to the law to strengthen the willingness to make a decision on organ donation came into force, which changed the Transplantation Act. The regulation of the decision solution remained unaffected. This means that organs and tissue may still only be removed in Germany with the prior consent of the deceased person or their relatives. The amendment to the law supplements the previous legal situation and is intended to help implement the patient's wishes. For example, a register for declarations on organ and tissue donation (organ donation register) is planned at the Federal Institute for Drugs and Medical Devices (BfArM).
Long waiting list
In Germany, there are currently around 8,000 sick people on the waiting list. "There is a huge gap between donations and the actual need," regrets Dr Bach. "For many seriously ill patients, organ transplantation is the only chance of survival," emphasises the physician, who has been a senior manager at EvKB since 2000. Since spring 2019, all larger hospitals in Germany with an intensive care unit have been required by law to have a full-time transplantation officer.
"80 to 90 per cent of transplanted patients can lead a largely normal life again afterwards"
The transplantation officers, who are funded by the German Organ Transplantation Foundation, provide information about organ donation in the clinics and to the public. They are available to staff and relatives and counter the prejudices and fears that often accompany a discussion about organ removal. "For me, it is very important to point out that patient care is always first and foremost about therapy," emphasises anaesthetist and intensive care physician Dr Bach. Only when treatment goals can no longer be achieved, when everything has been exhausted, does the question of brain death diagnostics arise in patients with severe acute neurological damage. There were ten cases of organ removal at EvKB in 2020 and eleven in 2021, and seven so far in 2022.
Often not an issue
Dr Friedhelm Bach hopes that the topic of organ donation will become more self-evident and receive more support from all sides. Unfortunately, organ donation is often not even a topic for younger people in particular. "It should be discussed normally in families, at school, at work or between GPs and patients, and reliable information would of course help with this." This is also the aim of the change in the law. Citizens should be informed more regularly by means of reliable information, for example by GPs.
And which people are eligible for organ donation, i.e. organ removal? "In the past, motorcyclists who had had accidents were always mentioned, younger people who were healthy before the fatal accident," says Dr Friedhelm Bach, who is a passionate motorcyclist himself. This has now changed significantly. The majority of organ donors today tend to be older people, often over 60 years old. The Bethel specialist cites cerebral haemorrhage, heart attack and stroke victims as the largest group.
Further information: www.organspende-info.de
This story simply told
4 June is Organ Donation Day. Everyone can decide for themselves whether they want to donate their organs after their death. It is also important that you talk to your relatives about this. And relatives know whether you want to donate organs. Dr Friedhelm Bach takes care of transplants at the Bethel Protestant Hospital.
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Contact
Evangelisches Klinikum Bethel (EvKB)
Haus Gilead I
Burgsteig 13
33617 Bielefeld
Offers & services
The Evangelisches Klinikum Bethel (EvKB) - Universitätsklinikum OWL der Universität Bielefeld (UK OWL) - is a maximum care hospital and one of the most important healthcare facilities in NRW. With a wide range of inpatient, outpatient and day-care services, 170,000 patients a year receive specialised treatment - from infancy to old age. 5,000 employees work at the hospital.
