In Good Health -- What's mine is yours

By Katie E. Leslie

April 20, 2006

My heart is yours.

That is, if I don't need it anymore.

You can also have my lungs, kidneys, liver, pancreas, stomach and other tissues. Need some blood? No problem. Intestines? Sure.

To me, being an organ and tissue donor has never been a question. It seems like a natural extension of my life.

Many people are in support of organ donation, but without taking the necessary steps to declare their wishes, such as talking to their families, thousands of usable organs are buried each year.

Roughly 92,000 people are on the waiting list for an organ transplant, according to the Organ Procurement and Transplantation Network. However, there were 28,110 organ transplants in 2005. (Deceased donors resulted in 21,215 surgeries.)

As you can tell, there aren't enough declared donors to go around. The Coalition on Donation estimates 18 people on average die every day from the lack of available organs.

Each state has different laws regarding how people declare to be organ donors. In Maryland, you can indicate your wishes on your driver's license or state ID. For drivers less than 18 years old, you need parental permission to be an organ donor.

Even though Maryland has a "first person consent" law, which means that families cannot override one's wishes, it's still best to talk to your family about your plans, advises the Maryland Motor Vehicle Administration.

The Coalition on Donation estimates that healthy organs and tissues from a deceased donor can save up to 50 lives, such as that of 14-year-old Ashton Luffred.

As profiled on page A-1 today, Ashton underwent a six-organ transplant in 2005, receiving a new duodenum, small intestine, pancreas, liver, stomach and kidney. His donor was probably a 7-year-old girl in Tennessee whose parents selflessly agreed to donate her organs.

I was quite impressed with Ashton's courage in dealing with his health issues and the surgery, but also surprised by his almost 'So what?' attitude toward the matter. I don't know what I expected him to feel or say, perhaps assuming he would express a heightened sense of mortality. But then I realized Ashton has essentially grown up in a hospital. His struggles are not a novelty -- they are his life.

While I might cringe or faint at the idea of wearing a stoma bag on my abdomen for years, or freak out knowing I had to have my body opened by surgeons, Ashton took it in stride. For him, it was part of the process.

I'm excited for this young man's life. With his surgery behind him, he is now able to put his focus on the things he enjoys, such as photography and acting. He is not the sum of his organ transplant surgeries, though for me, he's undoubtedly a symbol of strength.

What's happening in health

LifeSharers is a nonprofit organization based on the idea one should be willing to be a donor to receive an organ. LifeSharers offers free membership and helps promote organ donations. For details, visit www.lifesharers.org

Health tip of the week

If you're looking for a casual way to tell your friends and family you want to be an organ donor, the Coalition on Donation has a few suggestions. One neat (and very modern) way to spread the news is through an electronic postcard. To check out the e-postcard options, visit www.donatelife.net/promote.html.

Copyright © 1997-06 Randall Family, LLC.

This article posted May 22, 2006.