By Suzy Saettele
It’s February 14th, and everyone is ready to celebrate Valentine’s Day with hearts full of emotions, love, and hopefully some chocolate! Did you know that February 14th is also National Organ Donor Day? National Organ Donor Day is a special day observed to raise awareness of organ donation, and to celebrate the heroes who have donated to save lives through organ donations.
Today, there are over 113,000 people on the organ transplant waiting list. Every 10 minutes, another person will be added. Every day, 20 people on the transplant waiting list will die waiting. One donor can save up to 8 lives through organ donation (heart, liver, kidney, pancreas, lungs, and intestines). On top of that, one donor can save and enhance more than 100 lives through tissue (cornea, skin, heart valves, vessels, bone, and connective tissues), blood, platelets, and marrow donations.
Our family knew very little about organ donation until 15 years ago. I was feeling tired, but also chasing around two little kids, and it was the cold/flu season, so normal tired for a mom. That night, I fell into a coma because of ALF, acute liver failure. My husband, family, and friends were told I would die if I did not get a transplant within two days.
That night a family of strangers, many states away, certainly heartbroken and struggling, made the choice to donate the organs of their son (or father or husband) who had died in a motorcycle accident the day before. I have never met the family, but I honor them on February 14th every year. Because of them, for 15 years, I have been able to watch my kids grow up, and listen to my husband’s corny jokes.
This year on the day of love, while you think about those you love, take a minute to register as an organ donor at www.donatelifearkansas.org, or you can just say “yes” the next time you get your driver’s license updated.
Have a heart; save some lives! Happy Organ Donor Day and Happy Valentine’s Day.
