Organ donation resulting in transplantation is one of the most remarkable successes in the history of modern medicine.
Organ donation gives hope to thousands of people with organ failure. It is a gift that saves and heals thousands of lives each year. It is a gift that relies on the generosity of others — even with the best in medicine and technology, transplantation is not possible without one person giving selflessly to another.
Nearly 124,000 men, women and children in the United Sates are awaiting organ transplants to save their lives. More than 3,700 live in the Upper Midwest, which includes North Dakota, South Dakota and Minnesota. Thousands more are in need of tissue and cornea transplants to restore their mobility and sight.
You are more likely to need an organ or tissue transplant than donate one. Fewer than 5 percent of people are able to give the gift of organ and tissue donation upon their death. The fact is there are many more people in need of organ transplants than there are organs available. If you’d be willing to accept a transplant, shouldn’t you be willing to help someone else?
The decision to be an organ and tissue donor means you potentially can save as many as 60 lives.
If you are taken to the hospital after an accident or injury, it is the hospital’s No. 1 priority to save your life. Your status as a donor is never considered until every effort has been made to save your life. Only after all efforts have been made will your wishes for donation be honored. Your family will not be responsible for medical expenses associated with the donation. Organ, eye and tissue donors are heroes and are treated as such. The medical professionals treat donors with the utmost respect.
Donor families often share that their loved one’s donation was the one positive thing that came out of a terrible tragedy. Many families say that knowing their loved one helped save and heal lives gives them great comfort and strength in their grief journey. Nothing takes the pain away, but knowing that their child, spouse, loved one is a hero to someone lessens the pain. In the mind of a recipient, the real heroes are the donor families who turn their tragedy into a blessing.
Everyone has the potential to be a donor. Age and health should not discourage you from registering. There are a number of ways to register. By visiting life-source.org, you can learn more about donating and about other people’s stories. You also can register at your local Office of Driver and Vehicle Services, a branch of the Department of Transportation, when you renew you driver’s license. Sixty-four percent of adults in North Dakota, South Dakota and Minnesota are registered as donors.
It is very important to talk with loved ones regarding your wishes. It is important to document and discuss a donation now to ensure your wishes are carried out. Organ donation is truly a “gift of life.”
By Carol Preskey
Carol Preskey is CHI St. Alexius Health’s Intensive Care Unit, Telemetry and Nursing Service Office director. She earned her master’s degree in nursing from the University of Mary.