Organ Donation, a Gift of Life

Are you an organ donor? Do carry an organ donor card? Does your drivers license state you are an organ donor? Have you told your family of your wish to donate your organs? If you aren't an organ donor, what is your reasoning behind not wishing to be one? Are you scared? Do you believe the myths that surround being an organ donor? Do you have religious beliefs that you think interfere with donating your organs?

Organ donation can be a touchy subject. It is a personal choice that no one should force you to make . And let's face it, not a lot of people like to talk about organ donation because it causes you to think about your own mortality. Who wants to do that? But what if you were someone who was waiting for a life saving organ transplant? What if you were a family member of that loved one? Put yourself in their shoes. How would you feel if that loved one died because they didn't receive the organ they needed? How would you feel when you learned the only reason your loved one died was because there weren't enough people willing to donate their organs? What if you knew your loved one could have lived, but didn't because someone who had recently passed away chose not to be an organ donor? How would you feel about this subject then?

Many people don't know just how many people are in need of a life saving organ transplant. According to www.organdonor.gov, there are over 91,000 people waiting for transplants today alone. From January to December 2005 there were over 28,000 transplants with only 14,000 donors. Pretty scary numbers if you are one of the people waiting for a life-saving transplant.

Many people choose not to become an organ donor because they think they are too old. But to set the record straight, anyone of almost any age can be an organ donor. This includes the elderly and the young. Many people believe that if you choose to donate your organs, your family will have to pay. Again, that isn't true. The recipient of the organ would be the only one who pays, and insurance usually covers most of it. There are also many people out there who honestly believe if they are an organ donor and are taken to the hospital for an emergency, the doctors will not work as hard to save them. Nothing could be further from the truth. It is a doctor's job to save you. Doctors will fight hard to keep you living regardless of your organ donation status.

If you choose to become an organ donor, please make sure it is on your driver's license, please have an organ donor card. Most importantly, please tell your family of your wishes. Your family may be asked to sign a consent form in order for the donation to take place. It is important to share your wishes with your family, and it is important that your family listens and follows through with what you wish.

No one likes to think about their own mortality. I certainly don't. But, I also know that if anything, knock on wood, should happen to me, that I want my organs to save another person from dying. I certainly don't need to take them with me where I am going, so what is the point in keeping them?

Many people reading this may wonder why it is that I am such an advocate of organ donation. Simple. My mother had a life-saving heart transplant almost two years ago. Without this transplant from her wonderful donor and his family, my mom would not be here today. I know that we will be forever grateful to this wonderful family, and to this person who made the decision to donate his organs. He truly did give life to not only my mother, but also to five other people. This is what organ donation truly is, a gift of life!