National Donate Life Month

[Clays Cashew]

April: National Donate Life Month

I know I'm starting this kind of late, but I still wanted to start a thread even if it was just for the remaining ten days of April.
As you may have guessed, April is National Donate Life Month, a month to raise awareness of organ and tissue transplants, a month to greatly appreciate and recognize the donors with their generosity to give such a gift that is life.

I can't put it into words too well (I get emotional ), so please take a look at A Proclamation by the President of the United States of America:

National Donate Life Month, 2007
A Proclamation by the President of the United States of America

Donating organs, marrow, and tissue is a kind and compassionate act that can protect and enhance the precious gift of life. During National Donate Life Month, we recognize the generosity of donors and raise awareness of the importance of donating.

In recent years, there has been great progress in this important effort, and the rate of organ donation has steadily increased -- helping save thousands of lives. Despite this success, more than 95,000 Americans currently await organ transplants, and hundreds more are added to the transplant list each month. My Administration strongly supports organ, marrow, and tissue donation, and we are working with public and private groups to help more citizens understand the impact of organ donation.

Americans who wish to become organ and tissue donors can register with their State's donor registry, designate their intent on their driver's license, and sign and carry donor cards, which are available at organdonor.gov. I urge all citizens to consider becoming donors and encourage all donors to inform their loved ones of their decision so their wishes can be fulfilled. Every human life holds inherent dignity and matchless value, and National Donate Life Month is an opportunity to celebrate our country's organ and tissue donors. The decision to donate the gift of life demonstrates the compassionate spirit of our Nation.

NOW, THEREFORE, I, GEORGE W. BUSH, President of the United States of America, by virtue of the authority vested in me by the Constitution and laws of the United States, do hereby proclaim April 2007 as National Donate Life Month. I call upon health care professionals, volunteers, educators, government agencies, faith-based and community groups, and private organizations to help raise awareness of the urgent need for organ and tissue donors throughout our Nation.

IN WITNESS WHEREOF, I have hereunto set my hand this twenty-eighth day of March, in the year of our Lord two thousand seven, and of the Independence of the United States of America the two hundred and thirty-first.

GEORGE W. BUSH

whitehouse.gov

So why am I posting about organ/tissue awareness? Well, I'm a receiver of a kidney. I know what it's like to have to wait, thinking that maybe you won't receive an organ, that you won't have a chance to live . . . I've had two transplants: one when I was 12. It didn't work. Three days after the transplant, I formed a blood clot on my new kidney. My family found out after that that we had a blood clotting disorder. It would be four and a half years before I received a kidney from my third sister (big family, three sisters and two brothers, me being the youngest of the six) when I was 16 . . .

But, it's almost five years now and I'm doing so grandly spiffy. I'm very grateful and feel so blessed that I have the family I do . . .

But so many people don't have a big family, or their family members don't match, or it's just something that can't be helped, so they're put on the transplant list, which is wonderful, but there just aren't enough organs to go around. So, here I am, trying to make you aware. Maybe reading this has helped that you'll spread the word a bit, or maybe it helped that you'll check that box on your driver's license if you haven't already, maybe even something more . . .

For more information on organ donation, and ideas of how to spread awareness, please visit: OrganDonor.gov

For a sad yet heart warming story about organ donation, please visit here: My Father's Life (After Death)

If you would like, it'd be wonderful if you copy and pasted this on other boards to get the word out, to spread awareness of organ and tissue donation.

With love,

Carla