woman in white dress happy and smiling after receiving lung transplant

Six reasons to become an organ donor

There are more than 100,000 people in America on the national transplant waiting list. Each day, 17 people die waiting for an organ transplant. Only 3 in 1,000 people die in a way that allows for organ donation. Here are six more reasons to become an organ donor…

1. In becoming an organ donor, you could save a life. Actually, you could save up to eight lives. Almost all of us have eight lifesaving organs. Heart, lungs, kidneys, liver, pancreas, and intestines.

“It’s indescribable and miraculous. It’s the beautiful, tragic blessing that will always lay inside of me. I thank the donor who saved my life. Who will live on in me.” -Sylvana

2. You could significantly enhance the life of someone. Because you have many other organs to be donated that could make a huge difference to someone struggling to live as they should. Your corneas could help someone see the ocean for the first time. Helping burn victims, your skin could be used as a natural dressing, helping fight infection. Your bone could help someone receiving a joint replacement. Can you imagine needing a hand? In 2005, hand transplants started to be successfully performed!

“I truly, truly wish words were able to acknowledge accurately what this second chance means to me. I only hope one day I can find the words, and meet them face to face. To learn about this amazing person who saved my life.”

3. Because you’re never too young or too old. How healthy your organs are are more important than your age. For example, last year, over 100 pediatric organ donors were babies under the age of one year. A 69 year old woman with liver disease was gifted a life saving liver from a 92 year old retired school teacher.

” You are no longer the same person you once were. The materialistic things in life are insignificant. Bad days are not worthy of disturbance, but a privilege given.”

4. It’s free. The best gift you could ever give doesn’t cost you a penny. All it costs is a little love and a few minutes of time online. Recovery costs of organs and tissues will be paid for by the organ procurement organization.

“The day my donor said “YES” is the day I gained my second chance. The magnitude of their decision was felt by me, and all of my family.”

5. It’s easy. In Michigan, you can either enroll online using the Michigan Organ Donor Registry, or simply sign up when you renew, request, or replace your driver’s license at the ExpressSOS, or at the Secretary of State. Filling out the organ donation info on your license does NOT place your name on the registry. Unfortunately, with no registry record, your family will have to be asked to make this decision at a very difficult time.

“Every single day is a reminder of how precious life truly is.”

6. It might help lighten the grief of your family. The thought of your life going on in some way to help others could be such a comforting thought for those you leave behind. As a result, it can be a beautiful light in the midst of tragedy.

girl who received lung transplant thankful for organ donor at sunset in white dress

“I cannot be grateful enough. Words just can’t decipher what I want to say and feel. However, this is what organ donation is people! This is what happens when you become an organ donor! YOU give life! Hope! Second chances! Future! A story. A legacy. A hero.”

For more information on organ donation, add your name to the Michigan Organ Donor Registry, and get the sticker you’ve never been more proud to receive, go to:

https://michigansos.state.mi.us/OrganDonor/Pages/Registry.aspx

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