IT’S A MATCH!

As a romantic fiction novelist, I write stories that show how the perfect male and female protagonists come together… and for all readers, it’s the perfect match. Similarly, organ donation and transplantation is a similar concept. When the donor’s organ is suitable for the recipient’s body, it is the perfect MATCH!

Organ Donation

"Organ donation is when you decide to give an organ to save or transform the life of someone else. "

To be explained in technical terms, organ donation is the process of surgically removing an organ or tissue from one person (organ donor) and placing it into another person (the recipient). Transplantation is necessary because the recipient’s organ has failed or has been damaged by disease or injury.

Organs and Tissues

"A single donor can save 8 lives by donating their organs and can improve the life of 50 others by donating their tissues"

Organs and tissues that can be transplanted include: 1) Liver 2) Kidney 3) Pancreas 4) Heart 5) Lungs 6) Intestine 7) Corneas 8) Middle ear. Organs that have been successfully transplanted include the heart, kidneys, liver, lungs, pancreas, intestine, thymus, and the uterus.

Worldwide, kidneys are the most commonly transplanted organs, followed by the liver, and then the heart.

Organ Transplantation

Transplants can save or transform the life of a person. This relies on donors and their families agreeing to donate their organ and tissue after death. People of all ages should consider themselves potential donors. When a person dies, they are evaluated for donor suitability based on their medical history and age. The organ procurement organization determines medical suitability for donation.

Dozens of people die each day waiting for a transplant. Every couple of minutes a patient is added to the transplant waiting list. Each donor can save up to 10 lives and enhance over 75 more.

Organ donation and transplantation is a topic that is a rarely discussed. However, it’s of utmost importance to know about this topic in order to create awareness. We never know when we might be able to help someone by imparting information regarding this process. As individuals, it’s our duty to encourage people to be donors and be willing to help however possible.

WE can all HELP.