Take out your license or ID and look at it. Maybe you see the words "organ donor," maybe you don't. I can remember having mine issued to me and being asked if I would like to be an organ donor, but no information was offered to me at that point. It's something a lot of people don't talk about. I think I've figured out two of the main reasons,the first is not wanting to acknowledge death, and the other is assuming medical professionals would let you die to harvest your organs. So, let's get real. Doctors and first responders have to do all they can to keep you alive unless you have a DNR (do not resuscitate) order. That being said, anyone who even considered letting you die so your organs could be transplanted would be tried for negligence (letting you die) and lose any licensing they have.
Not talking about death is ignorant. The only constant part of life is death, it's natural and it's expected. Unfortunately, a large group of us denies or ignores this simple truth, especially the younger generation. Unfortunately, this negligence leads to unprepared families and often times the wasted opportunity to save a life. Granted, transplants aren't a guaranteed life saver, but it's a pretty good chance to take when death is certain. People seem to forget how advanced surgery is, scarring is minimal these days. Many individuals claim they aren't organ donors because they want to have an open casket funeral but they don't realize that those two things aren't mutually exclusive.
Enough about death, did you know living donation is a thing? Sure, you've probably joked about giving someone your kidney, but what if someone actually needed it? The sad news is that there are so many people waiting for a donor. Living donation tends to be more successful than deceased donation for pretty obvious reasons, the organs are healthy and active when donated from someone who is alive. The matching process for organ donation takes a bit of time, too. You can't take just anyone's organs, you have to be a match when it comes to blood and tissue type. The screening process is extensive, cutting out most opportunities for danger to either patient. There are too many misconceptions to cover in this article, so I'll be sure to provide trustworthy links for more information.
That being said, I recently met a young woman through Facebook who is in need of a kidney. Gabi and her family are the poster people for living donation. Her dad gave her a kidney when she was very young and he is still very healthy, however, Gabi's kidney isn't functioning like it should anymore. As soon as I saw her online flyer I commented, saying I wish I could help, but the hospital she's registered at has an age requirement I don't meet, 21. I'm dedicated to getting the word out about Gabi and living donation in general because we all have this amazing chance to help someone have a longer life, but not all of us know it. It is scary to consider giving up an organ, of course, there's still risk involved and you've lived your life able-bodied. That's why it's SO important to read up on things like living donation to learn that the risk is not that big and that you can lead a perfectly normal and healthy life after donating.
Maybe you aren't ready to be a living donor, and that's completely okay. Read about it, talk to people who are a part of the giving and receiving community, and base your decision off of the facts. Consider this: a simple trip to the DMV to change your donor status could save more than one person's life in the future. It's a common dream to leave a legacy, so why not leave a legacy that saves lives?
Kidney Foundation https://www.kidney.org/patients/resources_LivingDo...
Transplant Living https://transplantliving.org/living-donation/facts...
