Organ Donation Essays - Organ Donation, Medical Ethics, Free Essays

Organ Donation Essays - Organ Donation, Medical Ethics, Free Essays Organ Donation Organ donation is a topic which contains many conflicting views. To some of the public population organ donation is a genuine way of saving the life of another, to some it is mistrusted and to others it is not fully understood. There are some techniques that can be used to increase donation. Of these techniques the most crucial would be being educated. If the life threatening and the critical shortage of organs was fully understood by the public, organ donation would more likely be on the rise. An effort is needed throughout the world to make people aware of the benefits this process contains. Advances in medical technology have made it possible to save someone?s life by a process of organ donation. However, the scarcity of available organs is bringing the beneficial process down. By becoming an organ donor, people engage in improving someone else?s life at no cost. Although the question of religious or moral cost comes into effect, virtually there is no physical cost of becoming an organ donor. Organ donation should be seen as the "gift of life" but there are not enough logical explanations to explain this phrase. Whether people are donors, non-donors or recipients, all the public should be aware that organ donation is for the common welfare. Organ Donation-Why People Become Donors The main reason an individual becomes an organ donor is to give someone the "gift of life." By giving someone this privilege a person feels they are adding to another person?s life. Some reasons people give this gift is simply from having a kind heart, they may find the other person?s use for the organ more important than their need or maybe just because they just have no use for the organ. In certain circumstances a family will give consent of a deceased one?s organ in hope of easing their pain and sorrow. They feel by aiding in another life it will take some of their grief away. Organ donors compared to non-donors seem to be highly motivated and a bit more medically sophisticated. Those individuals who decide to become organ donors are those in our population who are willing to better other?s life. Organ Donation-Why People Do Not Become Donors Organ donation to some people is not the "gift of life," but "dying not whole." Religious aspects play a big role in why people don?t become donors, despite the fact that all major religious support organ donation to save lives. Moral beliefs also play into this issue regardless of religion. Several non-donors feel that physicians will terminate life support if they are aware of their wishes to be a donor. Another reason people chose not to become donors is they do not have enough knowledge on the topic. Those who are not donors tend to seem more suspicious and distrustful. Many non-donors have an overall mistrust of the medical community. Non-donors simply mistrust the organ donation system. They have mistrust for the system in regards to physicians and who physicians will award an organ to. Organ Donation-Public Education Needed For organ donation to increase, efforts must be directed to those who are not convinced that donation is for the common welfare. One way to increase organ donation is for physicians to educate their patients better regarding the benefits and success of transplantation. Public education about organ donation and volunteering for donation is needed. There should be more investments in public education programs to promote the idea of organ donation. Neither donors or non-donors have enough knowledge on this topic. Currently in the U.S. an effort to educate the public is underway. This effort is referred to as the Coalition on Donation and Advertising Council. The goal of this coalition is to ensure every individual in the U.S. understands the need for organ donation and accepts it as a human responsibility. Organ Donation-Ways to Increase Awareness organ donation is in serious need for more participants. Medical technology has made it possible to give people a second chance at life and our public population is bringing this chance down. Educational efforts remain most important to increase the success of donation. The public needs to recognize the benefits of such a process. The role of a family must also improve. Although families have the authority to refuse

How to Meet a Member of Congress Face-To-Face

How to Meet a Member of Congress Face-To-Face While more difficult than sending them a letter, visiting your Members of Congress, or their staff, face-to-face is the most effective way to actually influence them. According to the 2011 Congressional Management Foundation’s report Perceptions of Citizen Advocacy on Capitol Hill, personal visits by constituents to the Washington or district or state offices of members of Congress have â€Å"some† or â€Å"a lot† of influence on undecided legislators, more than any other strategy for communicating with them.  A 2013 CMF survey found that 95% of the Representatives surveyed rated â€Å"staying in touch with constituents† as the most critical aspect of being effective legislators. Identify Your Members of Congress It is always best to meet with the Senators and Representatives who represent your state or local congressional district.Find your U.S. Representative based on your zip code.Find your U.S. Senators based on your state. Individuals and groups can arrange personal meetings with Senators and Representatives either in their Washington offices or in their local offices at various times during the year. To find out when your Senator or Representative will be in their local office, you can: call their local office, check their website (House) (Senate), get on their mailing list. Whether you arrange to meet with your elected officials in Washington or their local offices, here are some rules to follow: Make an Appointment This is just common sense and courtesy. All Congressional offices in Washington require a written appointment request. Some Members do offer walk-in meeting times in their local offices, but an appointment request is still highly recommended. Appointment requests can be mailed, but faxing them will get a faster response. Members contact information, phone and fax numbers can be found on their websites   The appointment request should be short and simple. Consider using the following template: [Your Address] [Date]The Honorable [full name] U.S. Senate (or U.S. House of Representatives) Washington, DC 20510 (20515 for House)Dear Senator (or Representative) [last name]:I am writing to request an appointment with you on [date]. I am a member of the [your group, if any] in [your city], and Im concerned about [issue].I realize that your schedule is difficult to project at this point, but it would be ideal if we could meet between [time] and [time].I believe [issue] is important because [1-2 sentences].My home address is [address]. I can also be reached by phone at [phone number] or email at [email address]. I will contact your office during the week of [1-2 weeks before the visit] to confirm the details of the appointment.Thank you for considering my request to meet with you.Sincerely,[name] Prepare for the Meeting Plan to discuss no more than two issues. Meetings are scheduled to last from 15- to 45-minutes.Learn everything you can about your issue.Learn everything you can about points in opposition to your standpoint and be ready to argue against them.Identify and be ready to discuss any key data points that support your argument.If you have any supporting handouts, charts or graphics, bring them with you. Consider taking extra copies in case staff members request them. At the Meeting Arrive about 10 minutes before the appointment time. At least, be on time. Dress neatly and conservatively. Be courteous and respectful. Relax.Do not be upset if you end up meeting with the legislators staff. They are often more knowledgeable of individual issues than the legislators themselves, and they WILL inform the legislator of your views and requests.Introduce yourself to the legislator or their staff members: tell them who you are and where you live. Warm them up: Try to start by complimenting something the legislator has done recently; their vote on an issue, a bill they sponsored, etc. After a minute or two of such small talk, state your standpoint on the issue(s) you came to discuss. No matter how passionately you feel about the issue, do not rant-and-rave. Nothing diminishes your credibility more than an in your face demeanor. Tip: The lawmakers know you pay their salary.Be ready to answer questions and discuss your points in detail.In the conversation, focus exclusively on how the issues you are addressing affect your state or local congressional district. Explain how your issues will impact specific population groups, businesses, or the economy of your state or community. If the legislator disagrees with you, stand up for yourself, debate the issues, but do not become over-argumentative. Keep trying to emphasize the positives of your standpoint. Always try to end the conversation on a positive note.Close the meeting with a clear â€Å"Ask.† Members of Congress respond best to clear, specific requests. For example, you might ask that they vote for or against a piece of legislation or introduce legislation to address your issues.   General Meeting Tips Don’t be nervous. Speak naturally and confidently. Arrive on time and be considerate of your member’s time constraints and their staff’s time. Always be courteous and concise in presenting your points and request. After the Meeting Always send a follow-up letter or fax thanking your legislator or staff members. Also include any additional information you may have offered to provide in support of your issue. The follow-up message is important, because it confirms your commitment to your cause and helps build a valuable relationship between you and your representative. Town Halls In addition to individual meetings with their constituents, members of Congress hold local public â€Å"town hall† meetings at various times during the year. At these town halls, constituents can ask questions and give feedback to their members. Locations, dates, and times of town hall meetings can be found on the members’ websites.