Widow says donor system a disgrace

But the widow of the "fit" 65-year-old is concerned his wishes were not carried out and she has labelled the organ donation system a "disgrace".

Heather Smith told the Manawatu Standard that when she made inquiries about the organ donor system following her husband's death, she was told by medical personnel there were issues that needed to be raised.

However MidCentral Health has indicated in a case like Mr Smith's, the deceased is not suitable for organ harvest.

Mr Smith died of a heart attack in August last year. He identified himself as a donor on his driver's licence. Mrs Smith said her husband was a fit 65-year-old.

She was happy to carry out her husband's wishes, who was alive right up until the time she decided to let hospital staff remove equipment keeping his airway open. Mr Smith had been breathing on his own without a respirator up until that point.

"Nobody at the hospital approached us and asked us whether we'd like to donate in the first place," Mrs Smith said.

"The system is a disgrace - they're always screaming out for organ donors."

Mrs Smith approached the hospital after her husband's death to find out why. The telephonist didn't know who to direct her to.

She was eventually put through to Medlab where a spokesman told Mrs Smith she had broached an "essential" issue and he would "seriously" look into it.

"There are many people on kidney dialysis machines, which costs a lot of money. And there are many donors in the hospitals, why isn't more being done?" Mrs Smith said.

"People have the right to donate organs, but then families have the right to veto it, what's the point?"

"It should be at the top of an admission form. Not buried down in the fine print."

MidCentral Health spokesman Dennis Geddis referred to a national donor website, (www.donor.co.nz) which states donation of organs is only possible when the brain has died and the person is on a ventilator in an intensive care unit.

Organs including the heart, lungs, pancreas, kidney and liver can be donated while corneas, skin, bone and heart valves can also be transplanted.

However, many organ donors died from a head injury or bleeding in the brain and were not suitable.

He was unable to talk about Mr Smith's case but Mr Geddis said the intensive care unit at Palmerston North Hospital discussed organ donation with families.