Home » Girl Suffering from Cystic Fibrosis Prompts Donation Policy Review
Girl Suffering from Cystic Fibrosis Prompts Donation Policy Review
by Zachary Hendrickson
Posted on June 3, 2013
The story of a 10-year-old girl dying from cystic fibrosis has captured the attention of the United States press. Sarah Murnaghan has been on the wait list for a lung transplant for over a year, and her doctors say that she doesn’t have much longer to live. Pediatric organ donation is even more rare than normal organ donation, and due to federal restrictions on organ transplant children under 12 aren’t prioritized for adult organ donation. That means that Sarah will be denied the lifesaving lung donation she needs unless every adult in her region turns down a potential transplant. In response, Secretary of Health and Human Services Kathleen Sebelius called for a review of organ transplantation policy by the United Network for Organ Sharing and the Organ Procurement and Transplant Network.
Sarah’s parents have released a statement saying that the policy review is a “positive step.” However, the extensive amount of time required for such a review does not bode well for their daughter. In a statement released by the Health and Human Services Department released this statement regarding Sarah’s situation, “Our heart goes out to any family that is dealing with a loved one who is on a waiting list for an organ transplant…Given the significant disparity in the number of transplantable organs to the number of people in need of an organ, (the Organ Procurement and Transplantation Network) has regulations and policies to ensure that decisions are based on the best medical science and the most equitable process in a very difficult situation.” Sarah’s mother has since asked that in the unfortunate event that another parent should have a child die in the coming days that they consider naming Sarah as their transplant recipient: “I’m praying that somebody sees this story and is in a position to save my baby.”
The story of a 10-year-old girl dying from cystic fibrosis has captured the attention of the United States press. Sarah Murnaghan has been on the wait list for a lung transplant for over a year, and her doctors say that she doesn’t have much longer to live. Pediatric organ donation is even more rare than normal organ donation, and due to federal restrictions on organ transplant children under 12 aren’t prioritized for adult organ donation. That means that Sarah will be denied the lifesaving lung donation she needs unless every adult in her region turns down a potential transplant. In response, Secretary of Health and Human Services Kathleen Sebelius called for a review of organ transplantation policy by the United Network for Organ Sharing and the Organ Procurement and Transplant Network.
