A Gift of Life, Nebraska

The North Platte Telegraph | Heather Johnson

The Nebraska Hospital Association and the Nebraska Organ Recovery System have joined forces to recruit organ donors. As a member of the NHA, Great Plains Regional Medical Center has been challenged to do the same. The hospital began an in-house campaign for its employees last week, and on Thursday, officially opened it to the public.

If anyone knows the importance of organ and tissue donation, it's the Varney family from Arnold. On New Year's Eve, 2005, Thomas "Moose" Varney V was pronounced brain dead after sustaining a gunshot would to the head. His parents, Tiff and Barb Varney, were faced with a tough decision - whether or not to donate his organs.

"When he got his driver's license, he checked the donation box," said Tiff. "It's what he would have wanted, and we wanted to honor his wishes."

To learn how many lives Thomas "Moose Varney" saved and how NHA is promoting organ donors: http://www.nptelegraph.com/articles/2011/09/09/news/40002138.txt