When death enables life: incorporation of organs from deceased donors in Finnish kidney recipients

Abstract

Anthropological and sociological studies of organ transplantation practices have pointed to the ambiguities that are created by the use of deceased donors for organ procurement purposes. It raises questions of bodily incorporation, ownership of bodily resources and the commodification of the ‘as good as dead’ body. For organ recipients, it is sometimes difficult to incorporate these objects derived through death, this ‘otherness’ for the sake of extending life in their own bodies. Although the transplantation process is clothed in very objective, biological terms by medical professionals, the presence of death as both a biological phenomenon and one replete with social meanings is a concern voiced by some recipients. Alienation, guilt, normalisation strategies and notions of mixed selves feature in their accounts of living with the transplant. The aim of the article is to contribute to the discussion initiated by philosopher Margrit Shildrick on the transformative nature of an embodied self by looking at how Finnish kidney recipients deal with incorporating a transplant from a deceased donor. The article is based on qualitative interviews with 18 Finnish kidney transplant recipients narrating the trajectory of their kidney failure, where one of the themes related to their self-perception following transplantation surgery.

Keywords:

• organ transplantation
• brain death
• anonymity
• incorporation
• embodiment
• self

Notes

1. As this process has not been officially documented it is impossible to provide a more detailed description of the discussions that formed the basis of this decision.

2. Study commissioned from Suomen Gallup TNS by the National Federation of Kidney and Liver Diseases.

3. It is hoped that the enforcement in Finland of the Directive 2010/53/EU of the European Parliament and of the Council of 2010 on Standards of Quality and Safety of Human Organs Intended for Transplantation will increase the organ supply as it requires the appointment of organ donation coordinators in each regional hospital of the country (Inomaa, 2011).

4. The issue of disgust was also expressed by kidney patients during hemodialysis in relation to seeing their blood being displaced outside their body.

5. This is referred to as the Jante Law that Norwegian-Danish writer Sandemose’s (1933/1936) writes about in his book A Fugitive Crosses his Tracks. Already in childhood one is taught that boasting is unbecoming and that is best not to appear to be better than everyone else.