The caring, professional staff at Lanham-Schanhofer Funeral Home in Sparta, WI, is ready to assist you during every step of making funeral arrangements. A full-service funeral home, Lanham-Schanhofer Funeral Home understands you have many questions about arranging a funeral, and they are there to answer them respectfully and with great sensitivity.

One topic that is frequently addressed by families is organ donation. Lanham-Schanhofer Funeral Home wants everyone to understand fully the process of organ, eye, and tissue donation, separating the truths from the rumors.

For instance, one of the many myths about organ donation is that doctors are less likely to attempt resuscitation of a patient who is a registered organ donor, and that organs are removed before death is pronounced. Lanham-Schanhofer Funeral Home cannot stress enough that both of these allegations are completely false. 

Doctors, nurses, and paramedics do everything they can to save all lives, regardless of a person's donation status; in fact, the Gift of Life Donor Program is not even notified until all life-saving efforts have been exhausted, and the transplant team is not notified until permission is granted by the family of the deceased. Furthermore, a patient must be determined to have suffered brain death, which requires a series of tests to verify, before any organ donation protocol can be activated.

Another misconception is that a person can become too old to be a donor. In fact, there is no set age limit for organ donations. Upon the pronouncement of death, trained professionals will evaluate patients on a case-by-case basis to determine which, if any, organs are viable for transplant. This also applies to a donor who has suffered from a particular disease before death. This does not preclude healthy organ transplants.

Only the organs you wish to donate will be donated and the costs of the donation will not be passed on to your family. Organ donation is sanctioned by all major religions and distribution does not take into account the wealth or social status of either the donor or the recipient. Despite these harmful misconceptions, organ donation is a truly beautiful gift that could save lives.

For more information about organ donation options and funeral arrangements in the Sparta area, call the caring professionals at Lanham-Schanhofer Funeral Home at (608) 269-6666. To learn more about arranging for a funeral, you can also visit them online.