What image comes to mind when you think of a hero?
Does the picture of a firefighter, law enforcement officer or doctor who is saving a life come to mind? Maybe your image is of a person at the scene of a fire or accident who risks his or her life in a dramatic way to save another.
You have the potential to save lives as well. As an organ donor, you have the potential to save up to eight lives. Imagine the impact you could have on this world if you saved the lives of several people? You don’t have to imagine it. You can do it!
Almost 100,000 men, women and children in the Unites States are currently waiting for life-saving organ transplants.
I am one of many bloggers around the world who is making people aware of the impact they can have by being an organ donor. This BlogCatalog Community Organ Donation Awareness Campaign and others like it are crucial. 90% of Americans say they support donation, but only 30% know the essential steps to take to be a donor. Since the law varies from state to state, it is important that you know what the laws are where you live. Donate Life America has made this easy.
Go to http://www.donatelife.net/CommitToDonation and select the state you live in. You will be provided the steps you need to take to sign up as an organ donor. It will take very little time and the rewards for doing it are tremendous.
For more information about organ donation, check out these web sites:
- http://www.organdonor.gov/donor/index.htm
- http://www.unos.org
- http://www.MatchingDonors.com
- http://www.donatelife.net
If you live outside of the United States, You can have just as great an impact if you choose to be an organ donor. Go to http://body.orpheusweb.co.uk/lnks.html to find links to organ donation websites that apply to your region of the world.
I made the decision to sign up and be an organ donor several years ago. I am asking you to seriously consider doing the same. Together we can give the gift of life and make a positive difference in the world.
Great post Roger, the issue is so crucial to get out there.
I really like you’re blog and have added to our blogroll. Great content!
-Scott
Donate Life Illinois – Campaign Manager
Over half of the 97,000 Americans on the national transplant waiting list will die before they get a transplant. Most of these deaths are needless. Americans bury or cremate about 20,000 transplantable organs every year. Over 6,000 of our neighbors suffer and die needlessly every year as a result.
There is a simple way to put a big dent in the organ shortage — give organs first to people who have agreed to donate their own organs when they die.
Giving organs first to organ donors will convince more people to register as organ donors. It will also make the organ allocation system fairer. People who aren’t willing to share the gift of life should go to the back of the waiting list as long as there is a shortage of organs.
Anyone who wants to donate their organs to others who have agreed to donate theirs can join LifeSharers. LifeSharers is a non-profit network of organ donors who agree to offer their organs first to other organ donors when they die. Membership is free at http://www.lifesharers.org or by calling 1-888-ORGAN88. There is no age limit, parents can enroll their minor children, and no one is excluded due to any pre-existing medical condition.
Scott,
Thanks for the encouragement. You are supporting a great cause and your passion shows through your blog. Keep up the terrific effort at Donate Life.
Dave,
Thanks for sharing the additional statistics and making another heartfelt plea regarding the immediate need for organ donations. LifeSharers is an interesting concept and I will be checking out the website you provided. Thanks again.
Thanks for promoting organ donation!
Thanks Mark. You wrote in your blog that you are in progress to make another one of your goals a reality – get involved with humanitarian aid work. Please let me know the cause you will be supporting when it happens.
Interesting read.