by Sandy Fox

Thanks to a cornea transplant, Jason was able to see again for the first time in 31 years; at the age of 39, a kidney transplant saved David’s life; for Richard, a bone transplant meant the chance to live a normal life again; and when Darcy’s son gets older, she’ll tell him about the transplant that saved her life. All of these are examples of people who received organ donations.

In my book, one of the stories I wrote about is the death of two children in the same family from a car accident and the donation of the organs of the daughter to help others live. “She was such a loving child, we were certain she would want her organs donated to help others,” said her parents. They believe that one or two children may be alive today because of their donation, and they feel good about that. Although always a difficult decision, it was the right choice for them; others have a right to feel differently. The information I provide here is for those who, by their wills, on their driver’s licenses, or though conversations with loved ones, choose to make that same life-altering decision.

A few facts: over 100,000 U.S. patients are currently waiting for an organ transplant; nearly 3,000 new patients are added to the waiting list each month. Every day 16 to 17 people die while waiting for a transplant of a vital organ such as a heart, liver, kidney, pancreas, lung or healthy bone marrow. And nearly 10 percent of the patients currently waiting for liver transplants are young people under 18 years of age.

Organ, eye and tissue transplants offer patients a new chance at healthy, productive, normal lives. Acceptable organ donors can range in age from newborn to 65 years or more.

The organization, Donate Life America, founded in 1992, is a not-for-profit alliance of national organizations and local coalitions across the U.S. dedicated to inspiring all people to save and enhance lives through their donations. They publish brochures, program kits and other materials, and provide technical assistance and referral services. Contact this group or make your wishes known to a hospital, your health care provider or a lawyer.

A study a few years ago showed that while 91% of adults support the idea of organ donation, only one in three is aware of the proper steps for committing to become a donor, as procedures differ from state to state.

I encourage you to look into this or even to change someone’s world by being a donor yourself. It’s the ultimate charitable act. It’s about living. It’s about life.

Sandy Fox is the author of  I Have No Intention of Saying Good-bye.  The book tells the stories of 25 sets of parents and how they moved on with their lives after the death of their child offering hope and survival techniques. Sandy can be reached at sfoxaz@hotmail.com.

Tags: ,

Sandy Fox

Sandy Fox has won four finalist awards for her recent book "Creating a New Normal...After the Death of a Child" with over 80 coping articles and a huge resource section. One award is from USA Book News in the Health/Death and Dying Category for 2010. The second award is from ForeWord Reviews in the Health Category for 2010. The third is from Royal Dragonfly Book Awards. The most recent finalist award is for the self-help category of the 2011 Indie Book Awards. She is also the author of another grief book, "I Have No Intention of Saying Good-bye." “I Have No Intention of Saying Good-bye” tells the stories of 25 sets of parents and how they moved on with their lives after the death of their child, offering hope and survival techniques. Sandy has headed two national bereavement conferences for childless parents and spoken for many years at Compassionate Friends National conferences, POMC and across the U.S. to a variety of bereavement groups. She also writes articles for the Open to Hope site, EZ articles, and Journey through grief newsletter in addition to her own weekly blog: www.survivinggrief.blogspot.com. Sandy can be contacted at sfoxaz@hotmail.com to set up any speaking engagements or to ask any questions related to surviving the death of a child. Sandy was a guest on the radio show “Healing the Grieving Heart“ discussing: “I have no intention of Saying Good-Bye: Coping Techniques for the Now Childless.” To hear Sandy being interviewed on this show by Dr. Gloria & Dr. Heidi Horsley, click on the following link: www.voiceamericapd.com/health/010157/horsley010407.mp3

More Articles Written by Sandy