April Is National Donate Life Month
Each April is deemed National Donate Life Month. This month is dedicated to:
- Celebrating organ recipients
- Recognizing those who are waiting on transplant lists
- Honoring donors and their families
- Thanking those who are registered to donate.
This year’s National Donate Life Month theme is inspired by Maya Angelou’s quote “Be a rainbow in someone else’s cloud.” After a storm, the presence of a rainbow symbolizes optimism and motivates us to endure dark times. Organ donation bridges the gap between families who are mourning and families who are healing; turning tragedy into a renewed life. Organ donation gives us the opportunity to be a “rainbow” in someone else’s clouds.
Organ transplantation is one of the most incredible successes in modern medicine. It offers patients a new chance at living a healthy, normal life with their families and friends. Despite these advances, there is still a large gap between supply and demand. Every ten minutes a person is added to the transplant waiting list with more than 110,000 people currently on the transplant list. In 2016, more than 33,000 people received the gift of life through an organ transplant.
Currently, only around 50% of the US adult population is registered as an eye, organ or tissue donor. A single organ donor can save up to eight lives. Unfortunately, many people overlook registering as a donor. Families are often faced with making the decision to donate a loved one’s organs in tragic, unexpected times. Registering to become a donor relieves your family of this decision and serves as a gift to the grateful recipients of your donation.
To learn more visit:
If you want to register to become an organ donor visit www.donatelifenc.org or register at your local DMV.
Data from Organ Procurement and Transplantation Network (OPTN), Carolina Donor Services and Donate Life.net
