Organ Donor Awareness - National Donate Life Month

Thank you for sharing your story!  So wonderful to hear these happy endings.

I'll share my 2 stories.  The first is of a friend who has battled autoimmune hepatitis for many years.  In December of 2007 he moved to Jacksonville FL to await a transplant through the Mayo Clinic.  For over a year we waited until, on March 22nd 2009 he finally got the call!  Although his road has had challenges we are celebrating the extra time we have with him and looking forward to a summer of camping and fun. 

Then in October of last year my 23 year old cousin died after being on life support for 4 days.  None of us expected it but her mother made the choice to donate her organs.  We know that her organs and tissue saved or drastically improved the lives of 18 people.  I miss my cousin.  My heart breaks every time I think of her life cut short.  But I'll tell you that the knowledge that 18 families don't have broken hearts because mine does makes it easier to get through the tough times.  I am so fortunate that I have been blessed to see the miracle from both sides. 

Colorado now has a Donate Life license plate which I got for my new car and every time I see it I hope that just one person was reminded to sign up or made the choice to donate their loved one's organs. 

As someone who might need an organ in the future (hope not, but it's part of the reality of a lifetime diagnosis) , I figure it's only fair that I be willing to give up my own. Heck, I won't need them, I'll be dead! Might as well give what I can to someone who needs them, who knows what impact that could have on their life and the lives of their loved ones.

"Don't take your organs to heaven, heaven knows we need them here!"

Great article thank you for sharing.  You are one of the "lucky" ones and you also live your life to the fullest, good for you!

OK, as athletic people who put ourselves at the mercy of drivers out there on the roads... we can at least make sure SOMETHING good came of it if the worst were to happen.

The most important part is letting your family know, right?

CitySky - thank you, you are correct, let your family and loved ones know!

I am so already there!  Card, will, living will, directives...

My philosophy is, "I ain't gonna need any of it where I'm going so fillet me up like a fish!  Recycle me baby!  RECYCLE!  Organs, eyes to the blind, ears to the deaf, hair to the bald, skin to a burn victim - I don't care.  Put whatever's left over into a shoe box, drop me into the ground and then go party and everyone have a drink on me!  That $5,000 some would spend on a fancy coffin?  Use it for an open bar instead."

Pretty simple plan. 

I love your attitude!  You are so right.  I am probably too old (59) to have my organs donated, but I  am donating my body to  medical science.  The new breed of docs have to start somewhere, why not with me??  And you docs that were in medical school, who did you practice on?  Surgeons, where did you get your start?  You need folks like us, right Bigfuzzydoug??

It's not a kidney or a heart or a lung, but I received a bone graft from a cadaver donor this winter. I actually have the little thank you card all filled out and ready to send back in.

Thanks to that donor, I will be able to continue to be active and healthy and do the sports that I love for many more years (not to mention simply walking around without being in pain)--AND keep all my own joints. :-)

It's not just the "big stuff" that donors help with...there are also many non-life saving, butstill  life enhancing, procedures that organ and tissue donors provide for, as well.

I have been a donor since I was 14 and got my learner's permit. I'm with BFD...when I go, give away everything that is of use, cremate the rest, scatter my ashes in the Boundary Waters, and then have a big fat party. In lieu of a headstone, plant a tree with some of my ashes at the base.

And, as a side note...I highly recommend the book "Stiff: The Curious Lives of the Human Cadavers" by Mary Roach. WONDERFUL book that details not only what happens when you donate your body  to science/medicine, but also talks about alternatives to burial, life after death, and a ton of other interesting things.

Thank you for your post!  This is what I am talking about!!  Why waste away in a box in the ground when we can do so much more for  human kind.  For me, when the medical world is done with my body, I will be spread over Lake Winnipeasaukee, where my husband spent all of his childhood, where we lived together and the home of my very first triathlon!

A common belief that is not necessarily correct.  The viability of organs is remarkable, especially when coming from someone that is conscious of their physical well-being.  There are many transplant donors that are well into their 60's - and considering the alternative - being one of the 18 to die each day - I would have taken a 60 year old kidney and pancreas vs leaving my children fatherless. 
Additionally, as stated previously, some of the most important work being done at this point is through tissue donation.  While it rarely "saves" lives (except for bone marrow) it certainly restores life to a much better quality.  For instance:
Bones
Tendons
Cartalidge
Skin
Cornea
Whole Globe Eye
Arteries
Veins
inner ear
middle ear
Heart Valves

Amazingly, at any age we can participate in donation of these items.  In many cases we see people that have hearts that are not top notch, but the valves are perfect.  Never say never.  The docs will be able to determine better than us. 

If you would like some tear bringing video inspiration - I invite you to watch these videos:
http://www.youtube.com/myangelfoundation#p/a/u/2/nezmbygKIhE


Edited by jdwright56 2010-04-15 8:30 PM

Good post and good point!  Thanks for sharing your experience.  This is so near and dear to my heart I really want to get the word out thanks for your help!

Very cool.  Plant a tree.  Something like... a peach or orange tree.  Then people can continue to enjoy the sweet taste of your seed for many many years after you're gone.  I love it!



Sorry - I couldn't help myself.