Organ recipients thank donors' families for the gift of life
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Life Alaska Donor Services' Janet Cornelius says Alaskans are very active people, and receive tissues quite frequently. (Bill Costello/KTUU-DT)
Sherry Moreno says her daughter Charday, who died in a car accident nearly seven years ago, saved 48 lives as an organ and tissue donor.
Tissue recipient Russ Stoneking says his arm was repaired after a fall by a donated Achilles tendon -- and he'd like to shake hands with the donor's family. (Bill Costello/KTUU-DT)by Christine Kim
Sunday, April 18, 2010
ANCHORAGE, Alaska -- Eighteen people across the nation die each day waiting for an organ or tissue transplant. In Alaska more than 120 people are on the transplant list, and an annual gathering at the Hotel Captain Cook in Anchorage Sunday reminded the community that there's still a big need for donors.
Life Alaska Donor Services says the state has one of the highest number of organ donors per capita, with 75 percent of licensed drivers registered to do so -- but even that is not enough.
There's a common thread that connects the patches of quilts at the 15th annual Alaska Donor Family Gathering to the people present, representing the organ and tissue donors who have given the gift of life.
"Alaskans are very active people," said Life Alaska's Janet Cornelius. "We go hiking, we go snowmobiling, we go fishing, so there are a lot of traumatic injuries up here. So Alaskans receive tissues quite frequently."
Sherry Moreno remembers her daughter, who died nearly seven years ago in a car accident.
"I lost my daughter Charday -- she was 17 at the time," Moreno said. "The night Charday was killed, you have that instantaneous decision to make."
Even to this day, Moreno knows her daughter's gift is helping others.
"Charday was a heart valve, a tissue, a bone and a skin donor, so Charday saved 48 lives."
Moreno's story is just one of many at the gathering. Several displays pay tribute to the donors who helped recipients like Russ Stoneking.
"In 2002, I fell six stories and I broke 74 bones, had a collapsed lung -- I lost the ability to use my right arm," Stoneking said.
Years later Stoneking is walking and using his arm, all with an Achilles tendon donation and a little motivation.
"Six years down the road after my accident I fell in love, and so I knew that that was going to mean a handshake -- I was going to ask my future father-in-law for her hand in marriage," Stoneking said.
Stoneking says he wishes he could meet his donor's family.
"I would love to meet them, I'd love to shake their hand," Stoneking said.
Moreno knows that it's stories like these that keeps the legacy of donors alive. She says she knows there is joy that came out of a tragedy, but it's important to tie them together.
"It's that ripple effect that I care about, and it keeps me going on," Moreno said.
Life Alaska Donor Services says there are more than 100,000 people across the nation waiting for a transplant, more than 75,000 of whom are waiting for a new kidney.
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