Life Choices
WHEN YOUR LOVED ONE DIES
Life Choices: Page 33 of 36
pdf 
order
Organ donation & body donation
Organ donation
You may wish to help others by donating your organs upon your death. When you die, health care staff will ask your family whether you wanted to donate your organs, so discuss this with your loved ones. Missouri law does not require your request to donate your organs to be in writing. You simply need to tell your agent or family. However, if you want everyone to be clear about your wishes, put it in writing.
You may make your intention to donate your organs known by signing the back of your driver's license and asking a witness to sign it.
The Missouri Organ Donor Registry maintains a list of people who have signed up to donate organs, tissue and eyes. Health care providers can check this list to see if you wanted to be a donor. Get a Missouri Organ Donor Registry enrollment application.
For more information, call the Missouri Department of Health and Senior Services at 888-497-4564 or go to www.dhss.mo.gov/OrganDonor/.
Under Missouri law, your family, spouse or guardian may choose to donate your organs, even if you had not expressed a decision either in support or opposition of donation. However, if you state before your death you do not want to donate your organs, your family must comply with this wish.
Body donation
Medical schools in Missouri accept donations of bodies for science, research or education. Each program differs slightly, and most programs charge the estate for transportation. It is best to prearrange any body donation by contacting the medical school.
page 33 of 36
