Organ Donations Drop in Hawaii

The following is from Angela Keen, Aiea Man Receives Gift of Life as Organ Donor Numbers Drop, KHNL.com, Oct. 24, 2006:

Some local doctors are worried a new and disturbing trend in Hawaii will leave many people to die waiting for an organ transplant.  Over the last 10 years, Hawaii’s organ donor numbers slowly improved, until now. In just the past few months 9 local families said no to organ donation.  * * *

So far this year only 40% of potential organ donations actually went through because 25 families decided not to give consent even though the donor intended to.

Doctors, counselors, and donor education groups can’t explain why so many families are saying no to organ donation in Hawaii.