The Journal | Mike Glascock
April is National Organ and Tissue Donation Awareness month. As an organ donor, you can save up to eight lives and enrich the lives of many more. There is no greater gift than the gift of life.
Here are some facts: As of April 12, 2012, there are 113,817 patients waiting for a transplant. In 2011, 28,535 transplants were performed; however, there were only 14,146 donors. Someone is added to the transplant list every 10 minutes and every day 18 people die waiting for a transplant. This devastating fact can be changed by getting more people signed up as organ donors.
In 2011, more than 28,000 transplants were made possible. Another one million received cornea and other tissue transplants to help bone damage, spine injuries, burns, hearing and vision loss.
Ninety percent of Americans say they support organ and tissue donation, but only 30 percent take the steps to become an organ donor themselves.
Anyone can potentially become a donor regardless of age, race or medical history. All major U.S. religions support organ donation and see it as an act of generosity to others.
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