In 2003 my grandfather, Pat, was placed on the waiting list receive a new liver. When an organ becomes available they call the main recipient and two back ups just in case. Pat was a backup twice. He was in such need of a liver that he was willing to get one with Hepatitis B, only because if the surgery was successful he would get to live a few more years. We wanted as much time as possible with him. The first of April 2006 he received a call from the hospital that he was finally the main recipient of the liver. Everyone thought it was a joke, but it wasn’t. After all it was April fools day. The surgery was a success and thankfully his body did not reject his new liver. Although the surgery turned out good he ultimately got Hepatitis B from it. He was able to receive treatment for Hepatitis B and Hepatitis C which he had before hand. Despite the fact I was only seven at the time and did not understand to a full extent what was going on, I now know someone did a selfless act to give my grandfather a second chance at life. He was given ten years to live as that is the average life expectancy after a liver transplant. He has officially passed those ten years and we could not be more grateful. No matter if he was laying in a hospital bed fighting for another or in his big red recliner recovering he always asked “Is baseball on?” There is always a chance of getting an infection or a new disease that was not previously present but that chance is much worth it if someone knew they were going to live. Because of the loving act my grandfather received I have been blessed with countless opportunities that I would not have had if he was not here. Our whole family is forever grateful for the kind act of the donor.

All of us have the ability to make an impact on someone’s life even after our time has ended. Each day twenty people die waiting for an organ transplant. As someone who wants to become a nurse, I have a strong passion for trying to encourage those around me to do a selfless act, become an organ donor. It does not matter your race, religious belief, or age. All that matters is that you are willing to give someone a second chance at life.

As a future nurse I feel it is my job to educate and motivate those around me to become a donor. In the conclusion of a research article “Nurses’ attitudes and knowledge regarding organ and tissue donation and transplantation in a provisional hospital: A descriptive and multivariate analysis” María F, Jiménez-Herrera, RN, PhD conveys “nurses knowledge of donation and transplantation should be improved in order to ensure that they system functions as it should”(329). We are the main line of communication between the waitlisted and their family and the donor.

Many of us say we support organ donation but are not even registered. In fact 95% of United States adults support organ donation but only 54% are actually registered as donors(HRSA). There remains a constant shortage of donors compared to those that need organs. In 2015 there was 119,362 people on the waiting list while there was on 15,947 donors.(HRSA) As a registered donor I can potentially save eight lives by donating heart, lungs, liver, kidneys, pancreas and intestines. As young adults we do not often think about organ donation because we think we have while to live, but we never know when it will be our time. As of August 2017 there is 116,000 plus men, women, and children on the national transplant list, with another person added every ten minutes(HRSA). The match up between a donor and recipient needs to be perfect to avoid rejection of the new organ. The need for donors will continue to grow so it is our job to think ahead of time and register. Living in Texas, it is very simple to become a donor. All we have to do is check the box that asks “would you like to register as an organ donor?” on the application for renewal of our license. If you are not due for a renewal and want to register all you need to do is go to the government organ donation website and register there. With the shortage of donors matches are not occurring as much as they should be. Adults and children should not have to worry if they will live to see another day waiting for an organ. There is over seven billion people living on this earth and matches should take place more often.

Current arguments against organ donation include religious reasons because they say the body should remain a whole for spiritual aspects therefore do not support this act. However, all of the major religions including Judaism, Christianity and Islam not only support organ donation or transplants but encourage it. Jehovah Witnesses’ are often the religion that comes to mind when discussing organ donation. In recent revision to their religious guidance they have concluded “the decision for or against transplantation as an individual choice, under the assumption that no blood is transplanted(Oliver 439).” In the article Religious Perspectives on Organ Donation by John Gillman, PhD he discusses the view points of different religions. He claims “ the Chinese believe the body is a gift. Thus, a person a person is not allowed to damage the body”(Gillman 25). The Chinese may say this but Gillman later states “criminals condemned to death have been subjected to forced donation(Gillman 25)” Many religions see organ donation as an act of gifting and love. Religions may say they are against it but there is always exceptions.

There comes a time when a person is pronounced dead and their family finds out they are registered donors. The main question is can or should the family be able to interfere with their wishes of donating their organs? I believe absolutely not. They chose a selfless acts, to give someone a second chance at life. Families may argue that they know what the family member wanted but if they really did they would’ve known they were donors already. In order for a transplant to occur things need to move quickly to preserve the organs and find a match. Often times the doctor will keep the patient on life support to preserve the organs while match ups are taking place. If the family continues to hesitate, the organs can expire and the donors personal wish can no longer be fulfilled.

Organ donation is not a topic widely discussed although it should it be. There needs to be more awareness for those waiting to see if they will live to see another day. It does not matter where a person comes from or their background just that they are willing to save those around them. I will continue to help people realize that they can provide a lasting impact on people and their families. In all honesty what good are organs for when you are buried six feet under ground or in an urn.