EASTER, NEW LIFE, ORGAN DONATION -  PRICELESS!

Blessings of this holy and joyous season. We ARE an Alleluia people and as such I thought it would be a good time to talk to you about organ donation and

                     the gift of life it brings.

Many of you may already be organ donors – blessings and thanks to you! For those of you who aren’t here are some statistics and information to ponder.

Despite much publicity and attempts to raise public awareness of this most important issue in the United States there is a great shortage of donor organs: hearts, lungs, livers, kidneys, pancreases and small intestines. In 2005 there were only about 28,000 organ transplants performed, yet on any given DAY there are about 92,000 people waiting for an organ transplant! Nearly 6,500 people died in 2005 because there were no organs available – that’s almost 18 deaths per day.

For some situations living donors are a solution – kidneys can be taken (we have 2 and can survive well with only 1), and parts of a lung or liver can be successfully transplanted in many cases. It was thought that living donors needed to be related to the recipient but research has shown that unrelated donors are often suitable donors as well.

Another type of donation is blood donation (most of us can and possibly have donated blood) and bone marrow donation. If you haven’t been tested for bone marrow donation you can contact the local chapter of the American Red Cross or the National Marrow Donor Program.

I have several friends who have

been organ recipients and the

blessing that gift has been to them and their families and friends has been, as they say in the commercials, “Priceless”!

 

If you decide to become an organ donor you can note it on your driver’s license and on your Advance Directive. It’s always a good idea to let your family/Health Care agents know your wishes so they are prepared if something happens to you.

 

The wonderful thing is that if we are organ donors not only can they use our organs they can use our eyes and even our skin. All this is done in such a way that if you have a funeral with an open casket it is not evident.

 

One of my favorite TV shows is Extreme Makeover, Home Edition and last week there was a Mom and her 2 daughters whose house had burned down, her 16 year old son had helped design their new home but was killed in an accident before they had the money to complete it so the Home Makeover crew took on their house as a project. The story that Mom told of the comfort and hope it gave her, knowing her son was an organ donor and his organs had saved several peoples’ lives was beautiful to see and hear.

 

If you have any questions or concerns, please feel free to contact me at the office. I will have pamphlets and information available on transplants so please be sure to look for it.

 

HAPPY EASTER!

 

Maureen Redmer, RN

Aurora Parish Nurse Program