Organ and Tissue Donation: Giving the Gift of Life

Every day in the United States, an average of 11 people die while awaiting organ transplants because of the critical shortage of donors. Many people have said that they would have made the decision in favor of organ donation had they been better informed and were clear about their loved one’s wishes.

During the past 10 years in the United States, the transplant waiting list has grown nearly 300 percent with more than 58,000 men, women, and children now awaiting heart, kidney, liver, lung, and pancreas transplants. Tens of thousands of others are in need of donated corneas to restore sight, bone and other tissues to repair injured or diseased bones, joints, skin to heal burns, and the heart valves to replace diseased valves.

At the same time donations have not kept pace with the growing waiting list. Last year, for instance there were about 5,400 organ donors in the United States, while its estimated that 12,000 to 15,000 people died who could have been donors.

Surveys show that support for organ and tissue donation is very high. However, the same surveys also show that too few people ever tell family members about their decision itself. Sharing your decision with your family will help them carry out your decision later.

To learn more about organ and tissue donation and ultimately completing a donor’s card, call the Spiritual Care Department of Marian Community Hospital at 281-1050 for a free brochure that answers frequently expressed questions and concerns about this important decision.