April is National Donate Life Month

Source: Connect for Life

Have you ever wondered what it would be like to help someone walk again?

Would you say by doing that, you’re donating life?

For a blood donor, to donate life might mean rolling up your sleeve and giving a pint of blood. But donating life also means giving someone the ability to lead a fuller, stronger life. Gifts of tissue do just that.

We all carry precious gifts of tissue that can be passed on to others to help enhance the lives of more than 50 people. Last year, we distributed more than 5,000 tissue allografts to help a variety of patients.

Examples, you ask?

-Burn victims commonly require skin grafts during their recovery.
- If a breast cancer survivor elects to have reconstructive surgery to regain her feminine figure, tissue might be required as added support.
- An injured athlete might require donated ligaments or tendons to help him get back on the court.

Thousands of patients rely on donated gifts of tissue every year. We can help by talking to our families about our wish to donate, so they can consent to donation at the time of death. Registering with the official Texas Registry is just as important. Register to give these precious gifts to someone in need at donatelifetexas.org.

April is National Donate Life Month, dedicated to those who have graciously donated, but also to help build awareness of the need for tissue, organ and cornea donations. For more information about these donations, visit the following links:

Southtexasblood.org
Donatelife.net
Unos.org