Become an Organ Donor

You may not be surprised to hear that I have spent a fair share of time in various medical settings over the past fifteen months. Since my cancer diagnosis, surgery and now remission, Dr. Balaraman’s office has been one of my frequented stops.

One thing I have learned along the way, through the passion of my oncologist, is the great need for organ donors in our state. This weekend, I will have the pleasure of introducing Dr. Savitha Balaraman to some of the most generous and compassionate people I have come to know — you. Dr. Balaraman will have just a few moments to share some information about this opportunity that exists to improve – and in many cases – save lives. You can visit her in the Grand Mall after services to learn more.

You can also browse some of the misconceptions and statistics she has shared with me.

• Each organ donor can save up to eight lives, and each tissue donor can improve the lives of up to 75 people. Each of the eight donate-able organs — lungs (2), liver, pancreas, heart, kidneys (2), and intestines — can add years to a patient’s life and significantly improve their quality of life. Meanwhile, donated tissue such as tendons, skin and bones can be used to restore mobility and hope for combat veterans, burn victims, and individuals with failing joints. Corneas, the most common transplant, can also be donated and used to restore vision.
• Many people mistakenly believe age or medical conditions would rule them out, but everyone is a potential donor! While not all of a donor’s organs or tissue may be suitable for transplant, even one life-saving gift can have a profound impact.
• Each day, on average, 88 lives are saved by an organ transplant in the United States; but 22 people die daily waiting for a transplant that never comes. We can see that although the generosity of donors saves 88 lives each day, the need for organ transplants is outpacing the rate of donor registrations.

Registering as an organ donor could be a beautiful way to honor our Lord Jesus who willingly gave his body for us. Go to www.GiftofLifeMichigan.org to learn more.