Organ Donation

Are you an organ donor?  You know...the little box that you check on your driver's license to indicate you would like to donate your organs when you die?  A lot of people fail to check it.  Afterall, why would you want to do that anyway?  But isn't it better to make that decision yourself instead of having your family make it for you?

I remember when I was growing up, organ donation was taboo.  No one did it.  But, I also think we have come a long way since then.  There are so many people who get organ transplants these days and live full lives.  Unfortunately, some people lose their lives and their organs are the ones being donated, but what about a living person?

All of this has hit close to home, as I have a dear friend that is currently in need of a kidney transplant.  My heart goes out to him and his wife as he endures 9 hours of dialysis every evening when he gets home from work.  And, my friend is only 31.  For months now, his Mom has been going through a grueling process of finding out if she is a match for him.  But, as he found out this week, she is not a match, so his name has been placed on the national registry for organ donation.

Friends - I don't urge people to do much, but please consider being an organ donor if you are not already planning that.  And please share the message with your friends and family.  I am happy to say that I am in the National Bone Marrow registry and I am planning on being an organ donor.  If you would like more information on being an organ donor, please go to www.organdonor.gov.

And, if you'd like to read more about my friend Nick, you can find a magazine article here.  Prayers for him and his wife are very much appreciated.

Thanks for letting me be open about a subject I normally would not cover here.