I was writing my pal Oprah a letter the other day. It had to do with organ donation (surprise!) and I had to do a little research in order to learn more about the statistics. I was shocked to think that the national consent rate for organ donation by a deceased person is only 69%. You know that this means that there may have been a baby with a healthy heart that has passed away tragically while Mia has been waiting for her heart, and the heart went to the grave. End of story. (I am aware of two babies who have passed away recently that weren't likely eligible for donation, so please, I'm aware, it's not always an option!) This statistic is killing me, because I'm almost certain that if a person could see a picture of another person, sick in bed and waiting, and know that 6,000 people will die this year because the wait was too long, they'd make a different choice. INFORMATION IS POWER. So...in the interest of defying ignorance, please read below...
Nearly 100,000 men, women and children are waiting for organs for transplantation in the United States (kidneys, livers, hearts, lungs, pancreas and intestines).
Thousands more need eyes and tissues such as heart-valves, skin and bone.
One organ donor can save up to eight lives. One tissue donor can save or improve the quality of life for up to 50 people.
Nationwide, 69 percent of the families consent to organ donation. (Source: HRSA Breakthrough Collaborative)
Each day, an average of 18 people who are waiting for organs in the United States, die because no organs could be found for them. This means that each year, more than 6,000 people die in the United States waiting for organ transplants.
Every 13 minutes, a new name is added to the national waiting list for organs in the United States.
If while you are reading this, you are thinking of a reason to yourself as to why you would choose not to do this, please read the myths and facts here. Also, know many times (depends on the state) it is your next of kin who will be consulted if the opportunity presents itself (I hope not) for your organs to be harvested. Your driver's license stating you are an organ donor might not be enough. You need to make your loved ones aware of your wishes.
Depending on your state laws, you can sign up here to donate life. In WA and MT, you just enter your driver's lisence number and birthdate and if you are already signed up through the DMV, your info will pop up and you can update it and stuff.
7 comments:
I am a donor.. I hope that seeing Mia's situation will help others who aren't donors to think twice about it! Good luck with your letter
My grandfather's eyes were donated after he passed away to a rather young man with an ocular disease. My grandmother later recieved at letter from the young man thanking her for honoring my grandfather's wish to have his organs donated. It was a beautiful, moving letter and my grandmother always felt proud of it. I am a donor, too, and I have made sure that Chris recognizes how I feel about it. Be aware that even if you have "donor" on your driver's license, the next of kin can override your wishes. Make sure that little tidbit gets passed on to the big O. (Lol, not THAT big O). Keep up the good work - you are awesome!!!!!
Thanks Kristin,
To clarify however, in WA and MT, you actually don't need permission from next of kin. Isn't that great? If you register as a donor at the DMV, you will be a donor, assuming the medical professionals at the hospital do their job of notifying the organ people that there has been a death...clearly, there are lots of factors involved, but your next of kin can't legally stop them from harvesting if you are registered as a donor. Now, if they made a plea to the nurse or doctor, I'm not saying that person would override that 100% of the time, but at least the law allows harvesting without permission from next of kin in WA.
P.S. my letter to Oprah was to beg her to do a show on organ donation to up the percentage in the US.
pure curiousity
did you happend to read about how many hearts that are not donated are healty ones and not sick ones????Let me know it is interesting I know we are donors. Does blood type matter, illness, disease e mail me if you know thanks tons for the info....talk to you soon
That would be a good Opra show...good job
Rebecca, you are so great! The info is so interesting and good to know. I don't know if you have your letter sent and on the way but copies to all the talk shows would be a great thing I am sure you have already thought of that. Ellen is my fave. I have donor on my drivers licence but I never thought to check if Shane does. I think you got us all thinking!
We're all donors in my house. I can't imagine wasting a perfectly good organ that could save a life. Besides, it's the surest way to bring some good out of a tragedy.
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