“Be an organ donor. The life you save could be that of someone you love…” This was the message that used to play on my friend V’s answering machine. He had a keen interest in organ donation. He was trying to be listed for a lung transplant, but didn’t make it.
Currently I have two friends playing the transplant game – one anxiously waiting for her beeper to go off, and another trying to get on the list. Both are in need of a new pair of lungs. Someday it very likely could be me.
The trouble is there aren’t enough lungs to go around. Or hearts, or livers or intestines or any other sort of organ you might be in need of. The sad truth is waiting for an organ transplant (in cases where live donors can’t be used) requires waiting around for a tragedy to befall another family. You have to wait for someone else to die to give you the gift of life.
It’s the sort of tragedy they won’t see coming. They won’t have weeks and months to come to terms with a horrible situation the way those of us with sick organs do. They’ll be given the most horrible news imaginable, and then they’ll be asked to make this decision.
We don’t want a tragedy to happen to anyone. I know V. thought about this a lot. But things happen, horrible things. And if they happen to you, and your lungs, or heart or liver could save another life, what would you want to happen? I’ve read that one organ and tissue donor can help as many as 52 different people with their gift of life. Would you want those valuable organs that could save another life to go with you to your grave?
I don’t mean to be morbid. But, it’s the sort of thing that if you don’t talk about, that’s exactly what will happen. You’ve got to sign the back of your driver’s license. You’ve got to get your organ donor card. Most of all, you’ve got to let your loved ones know what you’d wish to happen should something horrible happen to you. Don’t leave them guessing when asked to make such a decision at such a horrible time.
And don’t assume that you’re too old, or that a chronic condition would prevent you from being a donor. The doctors will assess the state of your organs at the time – leave it up to them. Someone who’s 60 but never smoked might have better lungs to offer than someone who’s 40 but has smoked like a chimney. Even if you’re organs aren’t perfect, they might be better than nothing to someone who will die without them.
Lastly, as an HPS’er, I know my organs could be valuable to research. I’ve told my family I would like to be an organ donor, but that I want NIH to have “first dibs” on the parts. They thought I was being disgusting. I’m just putting it out there, just in case.
Currently I have two friends playing the transplant game – one anxiously waiting for her beeper to go off, and another trying to get on the list. Both are in need of a new pair of lungs. Someday it very likely could be me.
The trouble is there aren’t enough lungs to go around. Or hearts, or livers or intestines or any other sort of organ you might be in need of. The sad truth is waiting for an organ transplant (in cases where live donors can’t be used) requires waiting around for a tragedy to befall another family. You have to wait for someone else to die to give you the gift of life.
It’s the sort of tragedy they won’t see coming. They won’t have weeks and months to come to terms with a horrible situation the way those of us with sick organs do. They’ll be given the most horrible news imaginable, and then they’ll be asked to make this decision.
We don’t want a tragedy to happen to anyone. I know V. thought about this a lot. But things happen, horrible things. And if they happen to you, and your lungs, or heart or liver could save another life, what would you want to happen? I’ve read that one organ and tissue donor can help as many as 52 different people with their gift of life. Would you want those valuable organs that could save another life to go with you to your grave?
I don’t mean to be morbid. But, it’s the sort of thing that if you don’t talk about, that’s exactly what will happen. You’ve got to sign the back of your driver’s license. You’ve got to get your organ donor card. Most of all, you’ve got to let your loved ones know what you’d wish to happen should something horrible happen to you. Don’t leave them guessing when asked to make such a decision at such a horrible time.
And don’t assume that you’re too old, or that a chronic condition would prevent you from being a donor. The doctors will assess the state of your organs at the time – leave it up to them. Someone who’s 60 but never smoked might have better lungs to offer than someone who’s 40 but has smoked like a chimney. Even if you’re organs aren’t perfect, they might be better than nothing to someone who will die without them.
Lastly, as an HPS’er, I know my organs could be valuable to research. I’ve told my family I would like to be an organ donor, but that I want NIH to have “first dibs” on the parts. They thought I was being disgusting. I’m just putting it out there, just in case.
Comments
-Scott
www.DonateLifeIllinois.org
There is a simple way to put a big dent in the organ shortage -- give organs first to people who have agreed to donate their own organs when they die.
Giving organs first to organ donors will convince more people to register as organ donors. It will also make the organ allocation system fairer. People who aren't willing to share the gift of life should go to the back of the waiting list as long as there is a shortage of organs.
Anyone who wants to donate their organs to others who have agreed to donate theirs can join LifeSharers. LifeSharers is a non-profit network of organ donors who agree to offer their organs first to other organ donors when they die. Membership is free at www.lifesharers.org or by calling 1-888-ORGAN88. There is no age limit, parents can enroll their minor children, and no one is excluded due to any pre-existing medical condition.