Churches push need for organ donations

By Kathie Dickerson

Staff Writer

November 11, 2007

COSHOCTON - Worshippers at several area churches will notice something different in their bulletins today, and a Frazeysburg woman is glad more people are receiving information about becoming an organ donor.

This weekend is National Donor Sabbath, created in 1994 to dispel the common myth that religions do not allow or support donation, which has often prevented people from becoming organ and tissue donors, according to Lifeline of Ohio.

All major religions in the U.S. support donation, considering it a generous act of giving and caring, according to Lifeline.

Christy Wilson is glad that a family decided to donate the organs of a child, because her 3-year-old son was the recipient of a heart.

Eric was born with a congenital heart disease and had two surgeries by the time he was 8 months old, Wilson said. After the second surgery, doctors told her Eric's heart was too damaged to be corrected.

"His heart was so enlarged it could have exploded," she said. "The prognosis was death."

Eric was put on a waiting list, and unlike many others who have to wait months or longer, a donor match came in seven days, and he underwent the transplant on May 14, 2006.

"I'm very grateful to Lifeline of Ohio and the family who agreed to donate," Wilson said. "I would love to hear from them sometime, to tell them how much we appreciate it."

Today, Eric seems like a normal 3-year-old, suffering no signs of rejection.

"He's doing very well," Wilson said. "The only thing is we have to be careful during cold and flu season."

Whether Eric will be able to attend school in a normal setting remains to be seen.

"The doctors said it's something we'd discuss when the time comes," Wilson said.

Meanwhile, he has his brothers, Cole, 8, and Kyle, 6, to keep him company.

Wilson said she herself agreed to become an organ donor at the age of 18, and urges others to do the same.

"It's very important," she said. "By doing it, you can save up to eight lives."

Area churches that will have information on organ donation available this weekend include: Emmanuel Lutheran Church, 1500 Pleasant Valley Drive; Grace United Methodist Church, 422 Walnut St.; Park United Methodist Church, 122 Park Ave.; The Presbyterian Church, 142 N. Fourth St.; and St. John's United Church of Christ, 808 Orange St.

According to Kent Holloway, chief executive officer of Lifeline of Ohio, the organization has made brochures and inserts available to churches at no charge so that people can become informed and also be able to act on their decision.

More than 98,000 people across the country are on the waiting list for an organ transplant, according to Lifeline. Unfortunately, 18 of those individuals die each day because of lack of necessary organs.

National Donor Sabbath provides the opportunity for individuals to make an educated personal decision about donation and to act upon it by registering in the Ohio Donor Registry.

There are several ways to become a donor, including saying yes when renewing a driver's license at the Bureau of Motor Vehicles, completing an enrollment form or registering online at www.lifelineofohio.org.

kdickerson@nncogannett.com

740-295-3442

Copyright © 2007 Coshocton Tribune.

This article posted December 1, 2007.