by Karen Telleen-Lawton, Noozhawk Columnist (read the original in Noozhawk by clicking here)
Amazingly, there’s an issue about which virtually all Americans agree. According to LifePassItOn.org, 90 percent of Americans support organ donation as a viable, life-giving practice. You may remember that box you checked (or didn’t) when you applied for a driver’s license. Californians are behind the curve in this one area: Only 28 percent of us have registered as organ donors, compared with 40 percent nationwide.
Likely each of you has some personal acquaintance with an organ donor or recipient. My friend John was the privileged recipient of not one but two liver donations over a 20-year period. These organs greatly extended his life, allowing him to participate in raising his daughters and watching them grow to adulthood. In that same period, he saved hundreds of lives in his work as an emergency room doctor.
On the donor end, my niece had just turned 20 when her tragic death saved at least three people. LifePassItOn.org’s website says that one donor’s organs can save up to eight lives.
Unfortunately, the donors available are dwarfed by the need: Currently, there are more than 118,000 on the national waiting list for a vital organ transplant. Last year, nearly 16,000 donors provided organs to save more than 33,000 people. Think of this: If California’s donor rate rose to the national average, more than 3 million more people would be registered to donate. I have to believe that would put a major dent in the many lives hanging in the balance.
Registering as an organ donor fulfills my trifecta of worthwhile actions. For one, end-of-life planning is an essential part of preparing for the future, which is what my financial advisory business is all about. Secondly, registering is a selfless action, one that may someday result in saving lives — yet it costs you nothing.
Finally, organ donation is in its essence recycling. We can fill our recycle bins and reuse plastic bags until we’re green in the face, but transplanting life-giving organs is the ultimate recycling. Synthetic organs may eventually do away with the need for human donors. But until such time, checking that little box can bring about one or many miracles when you pass on.
Whether you’re a teenager or over 80, it’s easier to register as a donor than brushing your teeth. Even if you think you’re registered, it doesn’t hurt to register on the DMV website or DonateLifeCalifornia.
Then, if checking the box isn’t enough for you, Donate Life California lists a few other ways you can help. These include:
» Financial contributions
» Shopping at AmazonSmile
» Starting an e-campaign
» Checking out volunteer opportunities
» Organizing an organ donation presentation by Donate Life California
» Making a living donation
» Spreading the word
After you have indicated your wishes on your driver’s license or in a national or state registry, be sure to tell your family. Talking with your loved ones not only will make it more likely that your wishes are carried out, but may encourage them to sign up as well.
An average of 21 children and adults die each day waiting for an organ transplant. Register as a donor today, for Valentine’s Day, for all the loved ones.
Karen Telleen-Lawton, Noozhawk Columnist
Karen Telleen-Lawton is an eco-writer, sharing information and insights about economics and ecology, finances and the environment. Having recently retired from financial planning and advising, she spends more time exploring the outdoors — and reading and writing about it. The opinions expressed are her own.