Each year, thousands of people die while waiting for the gift of life—a new organ. By registering to be an organ donor, you have the potential to save lives.
Each day, 78 Americans receive an organ donation to save their life. Unfortunately, 100 people die every week while waiting on the transplant list containing over 100,000 other names. Not only can organs be used, but each deceased donor can also provide hip joints, corneas, bones, connective tissue, blood vessels and skin to those in need.
Patients awaiting a transplant are ranked based on medical urgency and length of time waiting. Each patient is matched to a donor using different factors, including blood type, to reduce the likelihood of organ rejection by the body.
Although it is not easy to talk about death or the possibility of becoming a donor, it is important to talk with your family, friends and doctor about your wishes regarding organ donation. Registering yourself as an organ donor will not affect your medical care should you become ill or injured. All efforts will be made to save a patient's life regardless of their donation status.
It's amazing how many things can be donated these days! I hope to leave this life with my body thoroughly used up (106 years old is my goal) but if I should die before that ripe old age then it's nice to know that I can help save so many different people's lives at once.
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