Organ Donation

Join Health Dialogues for a journey into the complicated world of organ donation. We explore the phenomenon of "donor rings," as well as how race, income and social status can affect access to transplants and the insurance to cover them.

A Double-Lung Transplant

Gurjeev Sachdeva, a 45-year-old Bay Area woman, received a double-lung transplant at UCSF in 2007. Health Dialogues speaks with Gurjeev, her surgeon, and a heart and lung transplant coordinator about the experience. Guest: Dr. Charles Hoopes, director of cardio-pulmonary transplantation at UCSF. Guest: Gurjeev Sachdeva, double-lung transplant recipient. Guest: Karen Breen, heart and lung transplant coordinator at UCSF.

• Kidney Gives Artist Second Chance at Life: See photo and hear San Francisco artist Victor Zaballa tell how he received a kidney transplant, and what it means to him.

photo courtesy of CTDN

At The California Transplant Donor Network Lab

Host Scott Shafer interviews a surgical coordinator and a nurse educator from the California Transplant Donor Network (CTDN) about the science and logistics of organ donation. Guest: Sharon Swain, nurse educator at California Transplant Donor Network. Guest: Thomas Wood, surgical coordinator at California Transplant Donor Network.

• Transplant Statistics: Compare how donors and recipients break down by ethnicity, see which organs are in most demand and find out who is most likely to give you their organ.

The Ethics of Organ Donation and Transplantation

Scott Shafer speaks with Charles Ornstein, a senior reporter with ProPublica, a non-profit journalism organization based in New York City. When he was an investigative journalist with the Los Angeles Times, Charles Ornstein did extensive coverage of organ transplantation in California. Guest: Charles Ornstein, senior reporter with ProPublica.

Signing up at the DMV

Just why is it that Californians sign up to be organ donors at the DMV? Reporter: Sarah Varney

Latino Organ Donation

Historically, minorities have been far less likely than whites to register as organ donors. In recent years, however, as a result of education and outreach, the donor registration and consent rates have risen -- especially among Latinos. Reporter: Debra Baer

• More: Donating Organs: Myth vs. Fact : A spanish-language radio show on organ donation, from Radio Bilingue's "Linea Abierta"