THE GIFT OF LIFE
ONE DONOR CAN HELP MANY

One organ and tissue donor can help more than 50 people. One donor can:

• Donate kidneys to free two people from dialysis treatments needed to sustain life;

• Save the lives of patients awaiting heart, liver, lung or pancreas transplants;

• Give sight to two people through the donation of corneas;

• Donate bone to help repair injured joints or to help save an arm or leg threatened by cancer;

• Provide healthy heart valves for someone whose life is threatened by malfunctioning or diseased valves.

FAMILY DISCUSSION
KEY TO GIVING THE GIFT OF LIFE

During the past 10 years in the U.S. the transplant waiting list has grown nearly 300 percent with more than *67,000 men, women and children now awaiting heart, kidney, liver, lung and pancreas transplants. In addition, nearly 1,600 await transplants at the transplant hospitals in Alabama. Tens of thousands of others are in need of donated corneas to restore sight, bone and other tissues to repair injured or diseased bones and joints, and the heart valves to replace diseased valves.

At the same time, donations have not kept pace with the growing waiting list. Last year, for instance, there were about 5,400 organ donors in the U.S., while it's estimated that 12,000 to 15,000 people died who could have been donors.

Support for Organ Donation is High

Surveys show that support for organ and tissue donation is very high. However, the same surveys also show that too few people ever tell family members about their decision regarding donation.

Sharing your decision to be a donor is as important as making the decision itself. At the time of your death, your family will be asked about donation. Sharing your decision with your family now will help them carry out your decision later. If you have already signed a donor card or have indicated your decision on your driver's license, share this information with your family now. If you have not made a personal pledge to be a donor, consider doing the following:

1. Talk to your family and friends about your wishes. Make sure they understand that you wish to be a donor. Also, make sure you understand the wishes of your loved ones.

2. Sign and carry a donor card. Have your next of kin or family members witness the card. Inform others about your wishes including your close friends.

3. Indicate on your driver's license if you wish to be a donor, and make organ and tissue donation a stipulation of your living will.

Without question, making a decision about organ and tissue donation can be difficult because it requires us to consider our own mortality and to talk about death and dying. However, many people have gained some degree of comfort by informing loved ones of their wishes so that the burden of making a decision will not be placed on family members.

Sign a donor card and talk to your family today about organ and tissue donation. It is a chance for one final, heroic act to turn a loss into a life-giving opportunity.

For donor cards and more information call the Alabama Organ Center at 800-252-3677. E- Mail: ann.rayburn@ccc.uab.edu