Live It Then Give It - April is National

Donate Life Awareness Month

Shanda McNew - PRO PT

Nationally, there are more than 120,000 people awaiting organ transplantation. Hard to imagine what 120,000 people looks like? Picture a football stadium, completely filled with people and about 20,000 waiting outside. Many more of those needing life saving organs spend years on waiting lists because there is such a shortage, primarily because we simply forget to register as donors. According to Donate Life America, 95 percent of U.S. adults support organ donation, but only 54 percent are registered donors. In the event of a tragedy, our loved ones fear making a decision out of line with our wishes, so they wait or refuse, and potential life saving organ donation opportunities are lost. Make it easy for them, discuss organ donation and check the box!

A single organ donor can save the lives of up to 8 people. One tissue donor – donating bone, tendons, cartilage, connective tissue, skin, corneas, sclera, heart valves and vessels – can impact the lives of as many as 75 people. Organ donation becomes a beautiful light in the midst of tragedy. Our PRO PT family has been blessed with life and health from organ donation for not one, but two members of our team. We have seen firsthand the everlasting legacy that organ donors leave on this world, on their recipients and their families. When you choose to donate life, you ensure that life goes on, you allow hope to live, and despite your absence, you leave the ultimate legacy. Please - be the reason someone else can live. In less than 30 seconds, you can change the ending to someone’s story. Visit https://donatelife.wv.gov to register as an organ donor today.