Organ Donation

How do you feel when you have to wait for something you really, really want?.............What if it was something you couldn't live without?..........My cousin was five years old when he found out he needed a new kidney. He went on the organ waiting list right away. He was called twice during a six month span that they had a kidney wasn't a good match. He had to wait again. The third time was a charm. A small adult was in an accident and his kidney was a good match. This story had a happy ending, but so many do not. One of the people on the waiting list for an organ transplant might be someone you know. Today I'd like to tell you about first, the need for organ donors in our area, second, how you can become an organ donor after you die, and finally, how your family and organ donor recipients benefit from your donation.

People around the world, but also right here in Kentucky, Tennessee, and Illinois, need organ transplants, and they need our help. The problem is that there is a lack of organ donors who make organ transplantation possible. The need is many organs and tissues such as the heart, lungs, liver, kidneys, pancreas, corneas, bone, skin, heart valves, and blood vessels. In spring 2004 the Official U.S. Government web site for organ donation states that, "A new name is added to the national waiting list every 16 minutes." That means that 3 people will be added to the list during the time we are in class today. The problem is that 10 people will die each day waiting for an organ transplant. The reason is that there are only on the average 5,000 donors nationally per year. You can choose to donate any needed organs or you can specify which organs or tissues you wish to donate. Organ donation is very import. The following poem by Robert Test entitled, "To Remember Me" shows the importance of organ donation.

"Give my sight to the man who has never seen a sunrise, a baby's

face or love in the eyes of a woman. Give my heart to a person whose heart has caused nothing but endless days of pain...Take my bones, every muscle, every fiber and nerve in my body and find a way to make a crippled child walk...Take my cells, if necessary, and let them grow so that, someday, a speechless boy will shout at the crack of a bat and a deaf girl will hear the sound of rain against her window". Page 169 - 170

Not only is this a problem nationally, but also it is a big problem right here at home in Kentucky. Nationally, there are over 62,000 people waiting as of October 7, 2004. As of October 7, 2004, there are 1,422 people form Kentucky, Tennessee, Virginia, which are on the organ waiting list. The sad part is that there have only been 104 donors in Kentucky from January 2004 through August 2004.

This is how you go about making sure your organs are donated. Talk with your family about your decision. They will be involve in the donation arrangements when you die. If they do not know your wishes of becoming a donor, your wishes may never be carried out. Mark your driver's license so that your license indicates your intent to donate. Fill out, sign and carry a uniform donor card with you. This donor card says what organs you wish to