The Effects of Media Depictions of Organ Donation on Transplant Patients

Abstract

When the topic of organ donation is broached on primetime television, more often than not, the depiction to follow is riddled with falsehoods that perpetuate long-standing myths and perceptions about the procedure. Sensational storylines are favored over factual portrayals, which can affect a person’s willingness to donate. Studies have been conducted on the general population about their experience with inaccurate depictions and their responses gathered. In this thesis, I gain the insight of fellow transplant patients and the effect that these portrayals have had on them – the segment of the population these falsehoods affect the greatest.

A large portion of society will never experience life on the waiting list. During that wait, it is incredibly disheartening to see the very operation that will save your life grossly exaggerated and filled with impossibilities solely for ratings. Transplant patients in Nashville, Tennessee provide a point of view on organ donation and transplantation depictions that is not usually heard.