Trauma or Sudden Illness
Most donors are victims of accidents that result in head injuries - car wrecks, gun shot wounds, falls, etc. Doctors and nurses use all life-saving efforts to save the patient's life. Tests performed can show brain activity and blood flowing through the brain. If these tests show there is no blood supply to the brain, the brain dies, and the individual is pronounced brain dead.

Referral/Evaluation
By law, all hospitals are required to call LifeShare Of The Carolinas on every death. Based on medical criteria, a member of our staff determines the patient's suitability for organ and tissue donation.

Family Consent
If appropriate, the family is offered the option of donation. Once the decision to donate is made, LifeShare pays all hospital costs from this point. The family can begin to make funeral arrangements.

Organ Placement and Recovery
Information about the donor is entered into a computer, which matches patients who need transplants with the donor. The surgery to recover the organs takes place in the operating room. After being carefully packaged, each organ is taken to the transplant center where the recipient is waiting.

Funeral Arrangements
After donation, the donor is taken to the funeral home. The donation process does not delay the funeral and the family can even have an open casket funeral if they wish.

Follow-up
Although the names of donors and recipients are kept confidential, donor families can get updates about the recipients by calling LifeShare. They enjoy getting letters from recipients so they know how the patients are doing.