Police Chief Inspector Rouven L. dedicated his life to saving people. Tragically, he lost his life while doing just that. But even in death, he didn’t stop helping others. FOCUS online tells us what we can learn from Rouven L.
After the knife attack in Mannheim doctors fought for his life. When they could only confirm that he was brain dead, his body remained connected to a heart-lung machine for hours. The hospital’s goal was to preserve organ function. Police officer Rouven becomes a hero again after his death”>Rouven L. was an organ donor , reports the “Bild” newspaper. The police chief inspector saved the lives of many seriously ill people after his death.
According to the latest study results from the Federal Center for Health Education (BZgA), eight out of ten respondents say that they are in favor of organ donation. By far the most important reason given by people who have decided to donate organs is the desire to help others and thereby give meaning to their own death. The thought of possibly being dependent on an organ donation themselves in order to survive also plays a role for those surveyed.
The fate of Rouven L. shows how important it is to deal with the issue of organ donation and to be clear about your own decision. Everyone has the potential to be a lifesaver – even beyond death.
In principle, any healthy person can become an organ donor. With organ donation, after a person’s death, their organs are removed and transplanted into other patients who depend on these organs. This is often their only chance of survival or of achieving a significantly better quality of life.
Even if many people are willing to donate organs after their death, questions or uncertainties often arise during the final step, the so-called “documented decision”. FOCUS online provides the most important answers.
People who suffer irreversible brain death after suffering severe brain damage in an intensive care unit are eligible to become organ donors. The brain no longer receives any blood. Brain death is synonymous with the death of the person. If the deceased was an organ donor, the deceased person’s circulation and breathing are maintained artificially through ventilation and medication, so that the organs retain their functionality.
The question of organ donation only arises for this small group of deceased people. There are strict requirements for determining brain death. In addition, consent to organ removal, for example through an organ donor card, is a prerequisite for donation.
Yes, the aim of all medical measures in the event of serious illness or accidents is always to save a person’s life, according to the German Organ Transplant Foundation. Emergency doctors, rescue teams and intensive care physicians who work towards this goal have nothing to do with organ removal and transplantation.
The easiest way is to fill out an organ donor card. You can get one from pharmacies, doctors, hospitals or online. You can also record your decision in a living will. In any case, those affected should always inform their next of kin about their decision and its documentation. This creates additional clarity and security.
Patients can now register online via the organ donation register. This is a central electronic directory that is still under construction. It is therefore advisable to also hold an organ donor card or a living will. Entry in the online register is voluntary and free of charge. Anyone who has registered as an organ donor there can reverse or delete this decision at any time. Hospitals that perform organ transplants will be connected to the system by September 1, 2024 at the latest. The aim is to ensure that seriously ill patients can get the organs they need more quickly. The register data is not publicly accessible and is protected from access by unauthorized third parties, explains the German Organ Transplant Foundation.
To register, patients need:
The wishes of the deceased always take precedence. For example, if consent is given on an organ donor card, organ removal is legally permissible. The relatives are not then asked to make a decision, but must be informed.
Only if there is no written will of the deceased and this has not been expressed or communicated in a conversation, are the relatives asked to decide first according to the presumed will or – as a last resort – according to their own values.
