The holidays are upon us, and what better thing to give, than the gift of life?
Organ transplants save thousands of people every year, still many more end up on waiting lists, and never get the organs they need to survive.
When John Hirchak was fourteen years old, he lost his father. "As a little boy, I would have given anything, anything, if someone would have stepped up and offered my father a kidney,” he said.
Hirchak thinks that may be what inspired his step-daughter Lindsay to sign up to be an organ donor when she got her driver's license when she turned 16.
"At 18, she was up at ECU and it was in March of 2009, and we got the awful call in the middle of the night that she had passed away. It wasn't until the next morning that we received a call from the Carolina Donors Association telling us that Lindsay was an organ donor. We weren't even aware of that."
Just one person signing up to be an organ and tissue donor can help about 50 others.
"Currently we have over 3,000 people waiting for a life-saving transplant in the state of North Carolina; we have 100,000 people waiting nationally, and we don't have enough donors to save or enhance the lives of those people who need transplants,” said Dwain Cooper of Carolina Donor Services.
Lindsay's eyes helped someone see again. Her tendon helped a girl continue her love for volleyball. A man can now continue playing sports.
"I know a piece of Lindsay is in all these different people right now, helping them to lead normal lives, helping them to live,” John said.
You can sign up to become an organ donor when you come to the DMV to get or renew your driver's license, or you can register at donatelifenc.org.
"My mother, she's just, I call her the bull, she's had dozens of heart attacks, a major stroke, two different cancers, she's diabetic, she's had so many things wrong with her, and she'll be the first to tell you, who's going to want what I have, having been through what I’ve been through, and I tell her, someone, someone will,” John explained.
Dwain Cooper from Carolina Donor Services says a person has eight organs that can be donated, so even if you have a bad heart, someone could still benefit from your lungs, or eyes, for example.
Tomorrow on WWAY, we'll introduce you to a woman who says she owes her life to her brother.
Want to increase the number of donors?
Get rid of the archaic law that prohibits financial compensation for organ donation. Many more people would designate their organs for donation if they knew that they would cover the cost of a funeral and maybe even provide for their family for a short while.
Now, before the rabid Common haters start screaming about "He's worried about riches beyond the grave," rest assured that I AM an organ donor....but not everyone is a nice guy, like me. Some need an incentive, and right now there is absolutely no incentive.
Another option, FAR more practical to me, as I'd be alive to enjoy it, is giving a discount on the drivers license fee for organ donors. Georgia tried it for a few years and saw a forty-percent rise in those designating themselves as organ donors. (They also offered the option of your providing your own photo instead of settling for one of DMV's mugshots)
Back to selling organs, a sad fact is that there are far more people who are waiting on kidneys than can be provided for through cadaver harvesting. Allowing healthy people to sell a kidney would close that gap and allow them to weather difficult financial times.
Sure...it's a gamble, and I wouldn't do it, but if you want to increase the number of donors you have to think outside the box and start making the act of organ donation worth something tangible in THIS life.
reading
The replies to your post below, I see we have a HUGE demand for spare brain parts.
Couldn't agree more
For that matter, why bother letting anyone choose whether or not to donate organs? It amazes me there are actually people who would choose to not donate their organs after death. I can see for religious reasons perhaps, although i'm athiest, I know that some people feel thats a good reason, I think it's crazy but oh well. Why would anyone not want you to give life to others.
At the most it should be an
At the most it should be an opt-out rather than opt-in system. Even if the default is set at donate, it's still someone's body, they should still have the right to decide what its final destination will be.
Organs
I believe a lot of people don't say their organ donors is because they think they won't get the best care if they get hurt or sick.I'm all for it but let them know at the end when theres no hope for you,if unable to let your family know how you feel.The book "Coma" comes to mind.
Organ Donation
What is anyone who is deceased going to do with their organs? This body we are in is a temporary vessel. Once we die...we leave it! Why not leave it for as many people as possible who can live with our donated parts. I don't want them because I won't NEED them. People here on earth who are barely living with a dibilitating disease NEED our disgarded organs. It's almost the single most selfish thing a person can do and that thing is to be buried with perfectly good organs someone else can use. Wake up people! Before you throw lives away. God bless you!
Donor
Great idea,another reason for someone to murder somebody.Also about the drivers license thing, what kind of people do you think would sell there organs for $5.
Dear Albert
The answer to your question is "People who would be five dollars richer than they are right now, giving them away for free."
What part of INCENTIVE escapes you?
Hey Scrooge
The only kind of people I know who would sell their organs for $5 are people whose organs aren't worth $5 and YOU.No disrespect to the people who's organs aren't worth $5.
I'll use simple, small words for you
The discount on the driver's license would be to give people who don't bother to check the box for organ donation an incen....um...reason to check the box.
No one needs their organs after they are dead. Rignt now, most people don't bother to check the box.
However, if you publicize the fact that they'd get a few bucks off the cost of a license, they will then have a reason to check the box. How does that equate to them "selling" their organs for five dollars?
Selling organs....discount on the driver's license: Two totally separate issues to anyone with rudimentary comprehension.
BTW, Einstein, I stated clearly in the first post that I am already a designated organ donor even in the absence of any incentive.
Did that confuse you as well?
I'd sell it for a dollar...
I would sell mine for only a dollar... after I'm dead. Give me a dollar now and after I die you can have it all. That is a good deal because I get to use the money now to buy a coffee at McDonald's and you get a [hopefully] well used organ when I don't need it.
hey nice guy
I forgot to ask, why did they stop doing it in Georga? When you donate something before you die let us know then we would know how much of a nice guy you really are.
Governor Sonny Purdue..
...decided that the state needed the money, and shouldn't be footing the bill for people to become donors.
As soon as it was taken away, the number of donors started declining.
I know it's all terribly confusing to you, but it's an incentive that DOES work....and if you pray really hard, maybe someday they'll perfect brain transplants.
God forbid
Don't want to pray too hard,I might end up with yours.(sorry for replying so late, you should know how us stupid people are).
I know
I know you said you were a doner I'm talking about the fact you would rather have the $ while you were alive and $5 means so much to you I'll spell this out for you,y-o-u a-r-e c-h-e-a-p.Maybe if we all got the $5 we could retire.They ask you when you get your license if you want to be a donor.So I don't think people don't become a donor because they don't bother to check a box and if you do it for a discount then you are selling your organs for $5 or if you prefer you are becoming a donor for $5,same difference.If a lousy discount will change your mind than what kind of person are you.What else would you do for $5? (I know your a donor I read your ignorant post).It also sounds a little like a gov handout.(joke). Have you seen the people who sell their plasma maybe you will understand what I'm talking about.If not try using some of that common sense only you have.I guess your right about incentives it has increased blood donations.
Being positive !
I can not donate anything but wish I could. I am not planning on leaving anytime soon but wish I could give a little more. You see I have MS and I would not wish MS on my worst enemy. Have a great day and be happy. Positive thought breeds more positive results.