Source: CBS 3, Philadelphia
More than 6,000 people are waiting for organ donations right now in the Philadelphia area. 56 are children. This weekend is the annual Dash for Organ and Tissue Donor Awareness. It's this Sunday morning at the Philadelphia Museum of Art. One Philadelphia family knows just how important the mission is.
8-year-old Kareim Pearson is getting ready to leave his home away from home. He's been at The Children's Hospital of Philadelphia for almost a year waiting for a heart transplant.
"It was a long wait. A lot of ups and downs," said Kyereen Pearson, Kareim's father.
Kareim was born with a disease that caused an enlarged heart. Finally a donor was found two weeks ago.
"It's just great that I got a new heart, and I get to go home," said Kareim. He hopes to go home on Friday, with a second chance at life and big plans for the future.
"I want to play football, basketball," said Kareim.
Dr. Bob Shaddy, the Director of the Heart Transplant Program at CHOP, says Kareim was lucky because there's always a shortage of organ donors.
"The number of children currently waiting for solid organ transplants in this country continues to increase all the time, and the number of donors remains painfully stable," said Dr. Shaddy.
Organ donations depend on someone else's death, and the willingness to give the Gift of Life.
"You don't know how much of a difference it makes. You really have to be here every day to see these kids waiting and some of them are really, really bad or suffering," said Kyereen.
Kareim beat the odds and has special plans for his homecoming.
"Spend time with my mom and my baby sister and my dad. And that's just great cause I love them," said Kariem.
Kareim gets to go home with a new heart, and he was lucky because 18 people die every day waiting for a life saving transplant.
8-year-old Kareim Pearson is getting ready to leave his home away from home. He's been at The Children's Hospital of Philadelphia for almost a year waiting for a heart transplant.
"It was a long wait. A lot of ups and downs," said Kyereen Pearson, Kareim's father.
Kareim was born with a disease that caused an enlarged heart. Finally a donor was found two weeks ago.
"It's just great that I got a new heart, and I get to go home," said Kareim. He hopes to go home on Friday, with a second chance at life and big plans for the future.
"I want to play football, basketball," said Kareim.
Dr. Bob Shaddy, the Director of the Heart Transplant Program at CHOP, says Kareim was lucky because there's always a shortage of organ donors.
"The number of children currently waiting for solid organ transplants in this country continues to increase all the time, and the number of donors remains painfully stable," said Dr. Shaddy.
Organ donations depend on someone else's death, and the willingness to give the Gift of Life.
"You don't know how much of a difference it makes. You really have to be here every day to see these kids waiting and some of them are really, really bad or suffering," said Kyereen.
Kareim beat the odds and has special plans for his homecoming.
"Spend time with my mom and my baby sister and my dad. And that's just great cause I love them," said Kariem.
Kareim gets to go home with a new heart, and he was lucky because 18 people die every day waiting for a life saving transplant.
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