FREE ESSAY ON ORGAN DONATION

ORGAN DONATION

INTRODUCTION /ATTENTION STEP
A.
1. Imagine that a loved one has just been severely injured in a car accident. 
2. The injuries include brain trauma, broken bones, but most notably, a loss of two pints
of blood, that your friend is in desperate need of. 
3. Coincidentally your blood type matches. 
4. Picture yourself at the scene of the accident. 
5. Put yourself in the hospital waiting room, anticipating news from the doctors, hoping
that your friend will survive.
6. What would you say when the doctor approaches you and tells you that in order to save
your friends life, you must donate.
B
1. Now hold that thought with one more element added. 
2. You were in the car, however you were not as lucky as your friend.
3. You are now a victim token by the car crash.
4. Wouldn't you still hope to save a friend's life as your last wish?
5. Would you give any other organ necessary for your friend's survival? Your heart ? Your
kidneys? Your liver? It's a matter of life and death. 
6. If you had designated on your driver's license or carried some other means to
communicate your decision to be an organ donor, your friends life could have been saved.
TRANSITION:
Does your driver's license designate you as an organ donor?
BODY /PROBLEM STEP
A. 
1. Upon encountering this subject, much negative stigma is attached to the implications
of organ donation.
2. The reality is, as we all know, that we are not invincible, and someday every one's
time will come to an end.
3. The act of organ donation is a significantly compassionate and humane choice for a
person to make. 
TRANSITION: Organ donation is a subject that affects all of us, but it is largely
misunderstood. I will attempt to clarify the situation with...
B: SOME COMPELLING FACTS ABOUT ORGAN DONATION
1. Doctors remark transplantation as "one of the most remarkable success stories in the
history of medicine." 
2. Organ transplantation is an operation that is safe, lifesaving, and the technology
that supports it is continually expanding.
3. As reported by the Coalition on Donation, 65,000 Americans are currently waiting for a
lifesaving organ transplant. Meaning that their life is entirely dependent upon receiving
the organ.
4. Tragically, every day 12 people will die awaiting a transplant.
5. That's over 4,000 people a year. Thankfully one donor can help more than fifty people
in need. 
6. Of the 2-million people who die in the United States each year, approximately 14,000
are believed to be viable organ donors, yet only 5,000 of these actually become donors.
The remaining 9,000 are lost. At an average of 5 lives saved per Donor, that represents
45,000 lives lost each year - needlessly.
(*see pie chart)
C MYTHS ABOUT ORGAN DONATION
1. MYTH: Some Major Religions oppose organ donation.
2. FACT: All mainstream religions support organ donation and consider it a benevolent
charitable act.
3. MYTH: Organ donation disfigures the body, making an open casket funeral impossible.
4. FACT: Organ Donation does not disfigure the body and does not interfere with funeral
plans, including open casket services.
5. MYTH: Only heart, liver and kidneys can be transplanted.
6. FACT: The heart, kidneys, pancreas, lungs, liver and intestines are the organs that
can be donated. Tissue that can be donated include the eyes, skin, bone, heart valves and
tendons.
TRANSITION: There is much more information readily available for furthering your
understanding of the subject.
D SOLUTION STEP/ PROJECTION STEP
1. For those who would like to know more about organ donation and how to pledge to be an
organ donor, you can visit the web-site HTTP://www.organdonor.gov/contents.htm 
2. Here you will find answers to all of your questions with links to most every resource
available on the web.
ACTION STEP
TRANSITION: I hope that all of you will at least look this up next time that you are on
the internet. Taking few a minutes of your time today may give others a chance to enjoy a
lifetime.
CONCLUSION
1. I urge you all to decide to be an organ donor.
2. If you do choose to be an organ donor, you should share your decision. 
3. As the law stands today, it is ultimately up to the family, regardless of age, whether
or not your decision will be upheld. 
4. It is extremely important to tell your family about your intentions for organ
donation. 
5. The department of Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA) emphasize that
"sharing the decision to become a donor is just as important as making the decision
itself
1. With the overwhelming demand for organ and tissue donors, the choice to be an organ
donor is imperative.
2. If you value life, if you value others, choosing to be an organ donor is a moral
obligation. 
3. If you are still considering the question, and are not sure, the dept. of Health and
Human Services provides this guidance.
You could help 50 people if you decide to donate your organs and tissues:
Your heart could beat for someone else.
Your lungs could breathe for someone else.
Your kidneys could free two people from dialysis.
Your liver could save the life of a patient awaiting transplantation.
Your corneas could give sight to two people.
Your bone could help repair other peoples' damaged joints.
Your skin could help heal many burn victims.
In closing I will leave you with the message of the public service announcement video
posted on this web site.
"It doesn't matter who you are,
or what you drive,
or where you live.
You have the power to give someone the greatest gift in the world.
Life
Talk to your family about organ donation.
Talk to your family about donating
Life.
A. Analysis of audience
B. Trope figures of speech
What would you say when the doctor approaches you and tells you that in order to save
your friends life, you must donate. (rhetorical question)
Your heart ? Your kidneys? Your liver? (repetition)
C. Two fully structured enthememes
Hypothetical
Major: If you value life, if you value others, choosing to be an organ donor is a moral
obligation.
Minor: You do value life/others.
Conclusion: Choosing to be an organ donor is a moral obligation
Major: If the number of needed organ transplants exceeds the number of organs being
received, more people need to become donors to save lives.
Minor: The number of needed organ transplants exceeds the number of organs being
received
Conclusion: More people need to become donors to save lives.
D. Two motive appeals
Self respect
Respect for life
Loyalty to friends/family
Sympathy/generosity
E. Bibliography
Coalition on Donation
1100 Boulders Parkway, Suite 500
Richmond, Virginia 23225-8770
phone 804-330-8620, fax 804-323-7343
Dept. of Health and Human Services in conjunction with the department of Health Resources
and Services Administration (HRSA)
HTTP://www.organdonor.gov/contents.htm 
HTTP://WWW.ORGANDONOR.COM
http://www.shareyourlife.org/leadstory_2000_04_14_notdaw.htm