Scott Webb (Host): Organ donation is a personal decision that can often give the gift of life to multiple people. And joining me today to tell us more about organ transplantation and how the whole process works is Carla Spencer. She's the Associate Chief Nursing Officer at Salinas Valley Health.

 This is Ask the Experts, the podcast from Salinas Valley Health. I'm Scott Webb. Carla, so nice to have you on today. We're going to talk about organ donation and, you know, giving the gift of life and what that means exactly. So, let's just sort of lay the foundation here for listeners. Maybe you can explain how organ transplantation works. Like how does it actually work?

Carla Spencer: Anyone can actually become an organ donor. There's a couple ways to do that. One is always have your family or loved ones know of your desire to become an organ donor so that they know your wishes. And then, you could also register at your local DMV. There is an opportunity for you to register as an organ donor through the DMV and through their website, and then also through donornetworkwest.org. That is the organ procurement agency of California, Northern California, and you could also register to become a donor on their website as well.

Host: Yeah. So, it's relatively easy, as you're saying here, to become an organ donor. I did that with my driver's license. I'm sure lots of folks do that. I'm assuming, Carla, that there's a shortage of donors, right?

Carla Spencer: Right. There's more than a hundred thousand people waiting for a life-saving organ transplant, so definitely a shortage. And sadly, with that statistics, an average of 22 people a day die waiting for their second chance at life. So, this is why it's so important for you to have your wishes known, either you're registering to become a donor or your family knows of your decision so that, if it were to come to that point, that you would be able to save someone's life with that life-saving gift.

Host: Yeah. And that's really what it is. It really is that life-saving gift. And I'm wondering if you have a sense of how many lives one donor can save.

Carla Spencer: Yes. I could tell you from a statistic that the Donor Network West gave to me is that in 2023, they coordinated 1,198 lives that were saved because of organ donation. So, that's just amazing in itself in one year, how many lives they were able to save. For one single donor, you know, I think it could be anywhere from probably two to five, maybe a little more depending. But yeah, it's amazing, really, to witness.

Host: Let's talk a little bit more of the sort of specifics here. So, let's say someone passes away at Salinas Valley or someplace else. But regardless, wherever they would pass away, whatever medical center they pass away at, are the organs surgically removed at that same hospital or do they go somewhere else? I just kind of want to give folks a sense of how does that work.

Carla Spencer: If, you know, somebody passes away and they deem that they're a candidate for organ donation, we partner very closely with the Donor Network West to look at all kinds of different criteria. When the patient passes away, you know, there's kind of a couple ways that it happens. Sometimes patients are here and the transplant teams from around the area, either California, Arizona, you know, all the neighboring states, depending. They will come here, they fly here, the organs are surgically removed, like you said, and then, those different transplant surgeons, depending on where the organs go to. Because when somebody passes away, there's a lot of work that has to be done to match that person with somebody on that waitlist, right? Because they have to have the same blood type and, you know, there's kind of a whole very detailed process that goes around where each organ goes to.

So occasionally, our patients will be transferred up to the Bay Area, if that's better for the patient and the team at the time. But I would say the majority happen here at the hospital once. Everything that we need to do is done. And, you know, there's a lot of interactions with the families so that they understand what is happening and they get that opportunity to learn about this whole process.

Host: Yeah. And let's stay with the families. I'm wondering, is there a ceremony, moment of silence for donors and their families?

Carla Spencer: Yes. You know, here at Salinas Valley Health, we instituted something called the Honor Walk and you may have seen this online. And I'll tell you it is probably one of the most touching things that you'll see. But it is quite an honor to witness this. And I'll tell you because out of a tragedy, out of sadness and grief comes saving another life's lives, right? So, we do something called an honor walk, and that's exactly what it is. We announce that overhead at the hospital. Naturally, we get the permission from our families first to make sure they're okay with it. And then, it is an opportunity for any staff within the hospital to line the hallways. And as that patient is bring brought from the intensive care unit to the operating room, we have a moment of silence as a staff and we just stand there and honor that life of that patient. So in the ones that I have witnessed, it has been a truly touching thing to be a witness of and also for the families, just our gratitude to them being there to support their loved one and knowing that they're going through such a tragic time with the loss of their loved one and just us as a hospital staff being able to honor them is really special.

Host: I'm sure, and I'm sure there's not a dry eye in the house. Sadness on one side, you know, sort of happiness on the other for the lives that are being saved. It's really lovely. And, you know, you mentioned that people who want to be organ donors, they can register, they can make their wishes known. But give you the scenario here of someone who did not do that, did not register to be an organ donor. Can their next of kin give consent?

Carla Spencer: Yes. That's exactly what happens. If they didn't register to be a donor, that's okay. And that's why that sort of second part is making sure that your family is aware of what your wishes are. If something were to happen, they, the family would be able to give consent if you were not a registered donor. So, that's okay.

Host: Yeah, that's good to know. And maybe somebody had meant to do it and always meant to register and just never got around to it or made up their mind, you know, to be a donor towards the end, and there was just so much going on. So, good to know that next of kin can give consent. And I've often wondered this, I've seen this in movies and maybe I've seen too many movies, but wondering like families of donors, are they allowed to be in contact with the recipients?

Carla Spencer: You know, they are. And the Donor Network West, which is that organization, they do such a wonderful job, and that happens. You know, interestingly, I just met with liaison yesterday, and she was telling me the story of this mom who lost her son to brain aneurysm, and it was such a touching story. And she was telling us that the patient that received his liver, they met, and his family and their family, they vacationed together, they're very close. And I'm sure that this is just one of many stories, but the Donor Network, they do so much for our families who have donor patient. And then also, patients who have been the recipients of organs and bringing them together. Some of the stories are so, so touching, but yes.

Host: That's great. Yeah. One of my favorite movies is a movie called Return To Me.

Carla Spencer: Yes. Oh, I love that.

Host: I love that movie so much. The Dean Martin music, of course. But just again, you know, maybe that's how I want to picture it being, that this is always so. neat and clean and perfect and amazing. And then, maybe it isn't always that, but good to hear. At least that one story that someone can pass on that gift of life, give that gift of life, and then these families become friends and vacation together. That's just so cool. I'm sure folks will want to know, maybe we sort of whetted their appetite a little bit here today, want to learn more about organ donation. Where can they do that?

Carla Spencer: They can. The Donor Network West, they have a beautiful website, donornetworkwest.org. And you can learn and get your questions answered all on that website. And we do several community events throughout the year where we'll have, you know, either donor families or recipients. So, look at some of these community events we do. In the month of April, it's National Donate Life Month. And so, we do some things here at the hospital. We'll do some postings on social media to talk about organ donation, just a couple of ways for you to find out more about it.

Host: It just warms my heart. It brings a smile to my face. I'm sure it does to others as well. So, thank you so much.

Carla Spencer: Sure. Thank you, Scott. I appreciate it.

Host: And to enjoy more podcasts just like this one, go to salinasvalleyhealth.com/podcasts. And if you found this podcast to be helpful, please be sure to tell a friend, neighbor or family member. And subscribe, rate and review this podcast, and check out the entire podcast library for additional topics of interest. This is Ask the Experts from Salinas Valley Health. I'm Scott Webb. Stay well, and we'll talk again next time.