National Organ Donor Awareness Month: Six Ways to Celebrate, Honor & Help
On January 23, 2011, a 27-year-old man from California spent what would be the last night of his life doing what he loved best — enjoying a good time with his friends at the Delta listening to Tupac and Bob Marley. By the next morning he was gone, but he was able to save the lives of six people via donation of his heart, lungs, kidneys, pancreas, and liver. One of those people was Lisa Singelyn’s dad.
The hard truth is: there are currently 100,000+ people in the U.S. alone on a transplant waiting list. About 90,000 of those individuals are in need of a kidney transplant, including Amanda Levine’s dad, who is at Stage 5 kidney disease and currently on several transplant lists waiting to receive a new kidney.
The amazing thing about organ donation is that any single donor can save up to eight lives and enhance over 75 more. Olivia Wilmsen’s mom is alive today because a generous family member chose to donate a kidney; she also received a liver from a deceased donor who registered to be a donor before they passed.
April is National Donate Life Month. Here are six ways to celebrate, honor, and give hope.
- DONATE: TMA Cares is matching employee donations to help Donate Life America increase the number of organs donated to save and heal lives. Join us in giving back to this important cause and donate here!
- READ: Check out more about Lisa, Amanda, and Olivia’s family donor stories here. Our gratitude to each of them for their lifelong dedication to advocating for organ donation and for gifting us with their stories.
- WATCH + DISCUSS: For our employees, we’re having in-office screenings in each of our hub offices of a moving film about organ donation –– TMAers can connect while learning about and supporting an important cause.
- REGISTER: Become a donor at donatelife.net, if you are so moved to contribute to this selfless cause.
- LEARN: For more information about organ donation, check out this infographic, get answers to FAQs here, and find more stories of hope to inspire you here.
- SPREAD AWARENESS: Encourage others to learn more on your personal social media accounts (some images/resources here), and see what Donate Life America is posting on Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn, and Twitter.
Amanda Levine’s dad is still looking for a kidney. If you or someone you know is interested in learning more, visit this Facebook page for more info.
[header image credit: donatelife.net]
