There are many worthy charities to choose for donating money and or time. One gift that is needed desperately and cannot be given unless thought of ahead of time is organs. Life is short. Please indicate your willingness to be an organ donor today. More information available at organdonor.gov
Last year alone, organ donors made more than 28,000 transplants possible. Another one million people received cornea and other tissue transplants that helped them recover from trauma, bone damage, spinal injuries, burns, hearing impairment and vision loss. Unfortunately, thousands die every year waiting for a donor organ that never comes. You have the power to change that.
- 116,653 people are waiting for an organ
- 18 people will die each day waiting for an organ 1
- organ donor can save up to 8 lives
By deciding to become an organ donor you are also deciding to potentially save dozens of lives at little to no cost to yourself. Once you decide to become an organ donor, however, there are many confusing aspects about the process of becoming an organ donor and the organ donation process, and these things can be off putting in the quest to become a donor.
To become an organ donor, the first thing you must do is register with your state donor registry. You can find a list of the registries with links to their corresponding websites here: Organ Donor Registries. Signing up for the registry ensures that your name is recorded with an organization who will guarantee that your organ donation wishes are carried out after your death.
The second step to become an organ donor is to indicate your intention on your driver’s license. Many states use a pink dot on the back of your license to indicate that you wish to be an organ donor. The next time you need to renew your license talk to your DMV about how to designate organ donor status. The process varies from state to state. If you are not renewing your driver’s license for a while yet you still wish to become an organ donor, it is suggested that you obtain and sign a donor card from the Division of transplantation, an agency of the Department of Health and Human Services. Simply carry this card with you to ensure that your wishes to become an organ donor are carried out.
The last, but possibly most important step to become an organ donor is to tell your family. Tell those closest to you that you wish to be an organ donor after you die. Even if you sign a donor card stating that you wish to be an organ donor, hospitals are still not permitted to perform organ removal procedures on your body until they receive permission from your next of kin. It may take some convincing to persuade your family that you truly wish to be an organ donor and that it’s the best possible decision for you, but you are urged to persevere for the sake of the lives of the people who you could save.
It was dark when I woke. This is a ray of susnhine.
great question i’d love to have been in the liivng room with you and your mom..i think the only similarity between the two is that those with the affluence benefit from the “suffering” and “social pathology” of those less affluent. quite honestly, i have a problem with organ donation programs. i completed graduate school in an urban university and was sickened by how the transplants were handled. first, most “transplant centers” tend to be in inner-city hospitals with large minority populations who are “healthy, young and plagued by gun violence.” yet, the donors are usually older affluent and non-minority. furthermore, it is absolutely heartless the way organ donation coordinators troll around trauma bays and waiting rooms trying to tell a grieving mother what a “gift of life” her son who is most likely poor and minority can give to some rich exec. with great insurance (or will pay outright) who burned out his lungs smoking 3 packs a day for 30 years! what’s even sadder is that the kid in the same housing projects as the murdered youth, on the waiting list, can’t afford the lung transplant because he has the “wrong insurance.”now adoption: most “crisis pregnancy” agencies and programs are targeting towards poor urban and rural women. yet, the babies usually go to those older, allfuent and non-minority. regarding adoption: i think no money should change hands other than court filing fees. regarding organ donation: i think there should be more parity among donors vs. recipients; and there should be no procurement fees for transplant coordinators and other trauma room trolls.
Dear Keith:
I am sorry your experience has been so negative. My brother is neither elderly of affluent. Without a thoughtful donor he wouldn’t be
here now to help finish raising his children.
No matter what problem one looks at there are always positive and negative sides to the equation.
I hope 2013 will be healthy and happy for you.
Sincerely,
Margaret L. Turley RN
Thank you for visiting the blog.
Have a Happy and Healthy New Year!
Margaret L. Turley RN