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Monday, April 15, 2013

In The Event Of Something Happening To Me...

April is organ donation awareness month, and  as a true believer in organ donation, I can't pass out on the opportunity of blogging about it. I'm not going into the facts about organ donation and how you can register to become a donor because that information is just a click away.   At Children's Hospital of Pittsburgh you can find great information on organ donation, and if you want to hear some incredible stories feel free to visit Transplant Friends.  Each story is compelling in it's own way.

This been said, let's get down to the nitty and gritty  of organ donation. First, nobody and when I say nobody, is prepared to face the difficult situation of having a transplant coordinator come up and ask you to donate your loved ones organs, even if he or she expressed in life that they wanted to become donors. 

I can only imagine the expressions of the family, as a complete stranger,  that seemed to be waiting on the side,  jumps in and asks the terrible question of,

-"Have you thought about donating "Jane or John Doe's" organs?  - (Remember we're making this up.)

Then continue to talk about the process, the marvelous thing you are doing for others, and the cliche "You are giving a gift of life." to another person (which is totally true).  In the meanwhile the person is in  total and complete shock,  they are speechless, the pain and grief of loosing that important person in their lives is overwhelming.  How does a person overcome this kind of tragedy and goes on to agree to donate?

I would think that some kind of conversations should have taken place with the donor prior to that moment in their lives. Maybe the donor at some point voiced his/her wishes and during those brief minutes, time is suspended and they hear his or her voice loud and clear.



 -"If anything happens to me, remember to donate my organs."

This is precisely why we need to talk about organ donation in the intimacy of our family circle.  These are conversations that are dreaded and seldom do we want to talk about death after dinner, but we need to get it out in the open.  Specially with the alarming statistics of people that die each day waiting for an organ donation.

Let's talk to our family, friends and anyone that needs to know how we feel about organ donation.  If you  want to become a donor voice it, and if you don't,  voice it as well.  Either way, it's fine!   Be sure that your family hears your voice loud and clear above all the grief and pain they are feeling than and there, and are able to follow your dreams of doing something worthy up to the last chapter of your life.









  

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