April is Organ Donation month. Here are a few facts to keep you informed.
**Did you know that every year more than 1700 children are saved by organ
donation?
**Did you know that there are more than 2000 children waiting for an organ donation?
Organ and tissue donation saves lives—and gives sight to the
blind, hearing to the deaf, new faces or new hands to those who have had
terrible accidents. It’s a donation that literally changes everything for the
recipient; it’s a donation that gives life and hope in the truest way possible.
But there aren’t enough donors. While every day about 79
people of all ages receive an organ donation, every day 21 people die while they
wait for one.
Organ donation isn’t always easy to talk and think
about—because while some donations (such as bone
marrow or kidney donations) come from people who are alive and well,
most (such as heart or lung donations) come from someone who is dying.
Nobody wants to think about that.
But we all do need to think about it—because there may come a
time when the unthinkable happens and a doctor will come and ask us about organ
donation. Time is of the essence when answering. That’s why it’s better to think
about it and never have to answer the question than to not think about it and
waste precious, life-saving time.
Did you know that 8 lives can be saved by one donor?
That’s a lot of lives to save. It doesn’t make the tragedy of
losing someone we love any less—but saving lives is a beautiful way to honor our
loved one, and let something good come of something unspeakably horrible.
To learn more about organ donation, and register to
be an organ donor yourself, visit www.organdonor.gov.