The Swirling Myths of "Brain Death"

Pastoral Care Workers are accustomed to believe what doctors tell them concerning the patients. They innocently trust that these same doctors will do the best they can for the patients in terms of adequate medical care designed to treat the patients. Unfortunately, this may not be the case when the patient is a potential donor and then declared "brain dead."

Dr. Paul Byrne, a longtime friend and pro-life colleague, just happens to be one of the world's foremost experts in the controversies surrounding "brain death." Dr. Byrne is currently the Director of Neonatology and Director of Pediatrics at St. Charles Mercy Hospital in Oregon, Ohio and Clinical Professor of Pediatrics University of Toledo College of Medicine. He is a past-President of the Catholic Medical Association (USA) and author and producer of the film "Continuum of Life" and author of the books "Life, Life Support and Death," "Beyond Brain Death," and "Brain Death Is Not Death."

The quotation above is from an article from Renew America from last February. Though beginning as a warning to Catholic pastoral care workers, you'll soon see how it serves as a primer on "brain death" issues which can benefit us all. Check it out.