‘TIS THE SEASON OF GIVING, and there is no better gift than saying “yes” to saving lives! One person has the incredible power to save eight lives through organ donation and heal 125 more through tissue donation.
Life Connection of Ohio, the non-profit organization that serves families and saves lives through organ donation, has several suggestions on how you can help spread the word. Below are just a few.
• Follow Life Connection of Ohio on social media, and share posts or give your own personal testimony. Are you a donor family member, transplant recipient, or living donor? Do you know someone who has given or received? Are you a registered donor? Sharing positive stories could inspire others to donate life!
• Encourage your place of worship to promote organ donation as an act of love and charity. Participation can include displaying a donation message on an outdoor sign, hosting a speaker from Life Connection of Ohio, making informational materials available, displaying posters, or including donation information in a bulletin/ newsletter.
• Host a classroom presentation to give students the opportunity to learn about the donation process, who benefits, and misconceptions.
• Invite Life Connection of Ohio to have an information table at a community event or to present at a meeting or lunch and learn.
• Knit or crochet a comfort shawl. (The preferred size is approximately 30 inches by 50 inches, and the preferred colors are blue, green, or neutral.)
Although organ donation offers a silver lining in a tragic situation, donor families are still forced to face the painful reality of leaving the hospital without their loved one. Life Connection of Ohio tries to ease that pain by offering families a comfort shawl at the time of their loved one’s donation. Families can wrap themselves in the comfort shawl to feel close to their loved one.
• Join Life Connection of Ohio’s volunteer family. Visit lifeconnection.org/volunteers to learn how.
Speaking of misconceptions, if you see any of them perpetuated on television medical drama shows or if they come up in conversation, arm yourself with the following facts and share the truth!
Will doctors try to save my life if I am a registered donor?
Yes. Every effort will be made to save someone’s life, regardless of their choice to donate. The medical staff dedicated to saving lives at hospitals is separate from those who coordinate donation. It is only after all lifesaving efforts have been exhausted that donation becomes an option.
Can I still have a viewing if I donate?
Yes. The organ recovery surgery is a very careful, respectful procedure, and if an open-casket funeral was possible before donation, it should be possible afterward.
Is my religion against donation?
No. All major religions in the United States either encourage donation, viewing it as a generous last act of charity, or leave the decision up to the individual.
Can rich or famous people buy their way to the top of the waiting list?
No. The national transplant waiting list exists because everyone must wait on it, regardless of wealth or celebrity status. The only way to move to the top of the waiting list is to be extremely sick.
Will there be a cost to my family if I donate?
No. All costs associated with donation are the responsibility of the organ and/or tissue recovery organization. A donor family is only responsible for hospital charges until death is declared and for funeral expenses.
Am I too old or too sick to donate?
Not necessarily. The oldest organ donor was 95, and people with histories of diabetes, cancer, and other diseases have still been able to give the gift of life. It is important to register as a donor regardless of age or health conditions, as medical professionals will determine whether someone’s organs and tissues are healthy enough to transplant after death.
With the holidays in full swing, Life Connection of Ohio is here to remind you that the greatest gift of all is the gift of life. To learn more about organ, eye, and tissue donation or to say “yes” to saving lives, visit lifeconnection.org.
Kara Steele is Director of Community Services for Life Connection of Ohio.
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