DONATE LIFE ORGAN DONATION AWARENESS-TEXAS

Texas organ donor registry reaches one million mark

by JENNIE HUERTA / KVUE News

Posted on August 19, 2010 at 7:26 PM

While the Texas Organ Sharing Alliance celebrates its one millionth registered donor, there's another non-profit organization benefiting from just one organ donor.  The leader of the Capital Area Food Bank is the recipient of a double lung transplant.

David Davenport sees his role as Executive Director and CEO of the Capital Area Food Bank as more than a job.  He sees it as fulfillment of his obligation to give back to the community.  Just a few years ago, pictures of his wife Ginger, twins Lauren and Danielle and soon-to-be born Brandon, were the only things keeping him alive, as he awaited a double lung transplant. 

“Things like watching Brandon play football or baseball, being at my girls' weddings, those were powerful motivators to keep going and to keep pushing,” Davenport said.  “I feel a real sense of obligation to that family because those dreams and those images were lost when their son died.”

David himself was just a few hours from death when he received a pair of lungs from a 19-year-old. 

“Doctors arrived from Roanoke, Virginia, and my surgery took place early in the morning, late at night, on April 17th, within a day of the shooting at Virginia Tech,” Davenport says.  He does not know for certain that his lungs came from a victim of the Virginia Tech shooting in 2007.  He sent the family of the organ donor a letter, but has not heard back from them.   

David is just one example of the many lives one person can save through organ donation. 

Michelle Segovia with the Texas Organ Sharing Alliance says, “One person can save up to eight lives by donating their major organs because there's the heart, the lungs, the liver, the kidneys, the pancreas and small intestines.” 

While the Texas Organ Sharing Alliance celebrates its growing donor registry, Davenport recently celebrated what he calls his third “re-birthday” on April 17.  He looks forward to sharing his 45th birthday in September with his family, while he continues to help feed thousands of Central Texas families.

Davenport says he would like to the state organ donor registry grow to two million, and eventually up to every eligible Texan being registered as an organ donor.

If you registered more than three years ago, you must re-register to be on the statewide donor list.  You can do it when you renew your driver's license, or by clicking here.