GOOD MORNING!
We have had an incredible fall in Utah this year. I know many skiiers are probably hating it, and the lack of moisture isn't the best thing for us, but it sure feels great to be able to take walks outside still while it's 66 degrees! My wish list would be that it would stay like this until Jamuary 1st. :) That would be a dream come true!!
I mentioned in one of my previous posts that we participated in the Intermountain Donor Services Organ Donor Dash on August 20th. I received a letter a few weeks ago from Intermountain Donor Services, when I first saw the envelope with the return address I actually thought it may be the Donor family reaching out to provide information about the donor. I have to admit, I was pretty nervous about the thought. Was I ready? Was I ready to learn about this person who gave me the biggest gift I could ever receive? The gift of life? I opened it, and realized it was a letter thanking me for putting a team together for the Donor Dash. I immediately picked up the phone to tell them, they shouldn't be thanking me, I owed THEM the huge thanks and what I could do to help bring awareness to Donation.
I was invited to join them at a Volunteer training. I recruited my good friend to join me and together we went to learn how we can be of service. A few things I learned I didn't know and a few things, I did know. Here are some facts you may want to know about.
1. There are 3 Types of Donation (not including blood and Plasma Donation)
a. Living Donors (kidney, part of the liver etc.)
b. Tissue Donors
c. Organ Donors
2. Here are a few MYTHS why people resist being donors. There are others. VIsit www.idslife.org and learn more.
a. It's against my religion.
Not one religion is of the belief that it is wrong to donate.
b. If I say YES on my driver's license that I am a donor, they will not work to save my life.
Doctors never know if you are or are not a donor. The doctors who are trying to save your life are NOT the same doctors involved in trasplantation.
c. They will take my organs before I am really dead.
Donations of organ and tissue are ONLY accepted following declaration of death by a doctor who is NOT involved in transplantation.It is the complete and irreversible loss of all brain functions, including the brain stem.
Non-living Organ Donors must pass away at the hospital, on a ventilator, and it is usually from a traumatic brain injury. This one I didn't know. I thought they could revive the organ, but apparently, that's not the case.
One Donor can save NINE LIVES. Imagine that, leaving a legacy by continuing life in others. My thought on this is always, YOU CAN'T TAKE IT WITH YOU! I have been a donor since I was sixteen and will remain a donor forever. Who knows, I may have something that will help save someone else's life. I would LOVE to be able to pay it forward.
We all spoke about what brought us there to volunteer. I heard from two families that were donor families. These stories had a great impact on me that night. One lost a 19 month old baby in a pond. The parents hadn't even thought about donation of an infant. They were asked if they wanted their child to be able to donate tissue and cornea etc. donors. They willingly accepted and the mom has been a volunteer to bring awareness for about 6 years now.
The other family lost their fifteen year old daughter almost a year ago now. She had just received her driving permit and actually marked she wanted to be a donor. She went to bed that night and did not wake up the next day. Landon's parents were also donors so naturally they donated what was capable to donate. They just expressed how much it meant to them to be able to continue Landon's life in others. It was even more compelling to them that Landon had decided for herself to be a donor and made their decision even more confirmed.
I had a conversation with one of my co-workers who donated a kidney to his nephew. He and I were wondering why people are so hesitant to donate. We both talked about when he donated, he said he wanted to be available to donate again if necessary (not his kidney) Living donors can make such an impact. There are so many people who die waiting. Each day 100 people are added to the UNOS waiting list and every day approximately 20 people on the list die while waiting for a transplant. YOU CAN'T TAKE IT WITH YOU, so if you are not a donor yet, please register to be a donor.www.yesutah.org
As I mentioned in the beginning of the blog, it is a gorgeous day today! Get out and enjoy it! Soak it in and let life flow into you!
Challenge yourself, love yourself, know that you are God's treasure on earth and he has great things planned for you!
Love,
Claire
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