when a loved one dies.

Many people are shocked when they learn, soon after a death, that their family member has decided to donate his organs, according to Registered Nurse Miss Julie Stroud.

At a Press conference at the King Edward VII Memorial Hospital Miss Stroud said that families need to talk together about their feelings on donating organs after a loved one has died.

"We have had a number of phone calls from the public asking how they can become organ donors,'' Miss Shroud said.

"In Bermuda, many deaths are caused by tragic accidents.

"Donating organs can be a good idea for some and not a good idea for others.

We have to talk with families and explain to them that it is a gift of life.'' She added that in Bermuda, there are two types of donations the first being organ donation and the second, tissue donation.

"There are 45 body parts that can be donated some of which are the heart, lungs, kidneys, liver, spleen and pancreas.

"Tissue donations consist of skin, long bones, hips, knees, joints and eyes.

However in Bermuda, the only tissue that can be donated are eyes. In December, Miss Stroud attended a three day seminar at the New England Organ Bank in Boston, where she learned the facts and figures on organ donation.

"We were taught how to harvest, prepare and sustain the organs which are being donated. We were also told how to approach families after they have lost a loved one, and what to say when answering questions.'' Miss Stroud also said there were two forms available for those who wanted to donate.

One is a living will, which consists of the requests of a person and the other is a clinical record which highlights on a chart that they have requested their organs be donated.

If anyone wishes to find out about either one of these forms they are asked to contact Ms. LaVerne Proctor at the hospital at extension 1483.

Miss Stroud talked of a Bermuda family that lost a loved one and requested that his organs be donated.

"The team from the New England Organ Bank came down to collect the organs and they were taken away examined and given to someone in need.'' Unit coordinator of Intensive Care Ms. Glenda Daniels said that all the registered nurses have the knowledge on how to approach families about donating organs.

"Every year the unit sends another nurse to take part in the seminar,'' Ms.

Daniels said.