Today is a tremendous milestone for my family.
It marks the 20th anniversary of my dad's organ transplant.
On August 25, 1994 my dad received a successful liver donation from a sixteen year old teenager who had been killed in a car accident. It was because of that family's unselfish generosity that we have been able to enjoy 20 more healthy and happy years with my dad.
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| Kurby's Wedding 2004 |
The transplant literally provided him with a second chance at life. My dad walked his children down the aisle at two weddings. He became 'Grandpa Dewey' to four grandchildren. He retired as a seasoned Colonel in the army; established a second career with the American Red Cross and now enjoys retirement at our local hardware store. And, this summer, he celebrated 45 years of marriage to my mom.
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| Christmas, 2011 with Vivster |
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| Happy 45th Wedding Anniversary, 2014 |
The benefits of organ donation are endless. Not just for my family but for thousands of others.
Last year alone, organ donors made more than 28,000 transplants possible. Another one million people received cornea and other tissue transplants that helped them recover from trauma, bone damage, spinal injuries, burns, hearing impairment and vision loss.
Every 10 minutes, a new person is added to a donor waiting list.
On average, 80 people a day receive a transplant; but 18 die because the lack of eligible donors.
Unfortunately, the gap between donors and recipients continues to widen. (For example, in 2013, there were 121,272 people on the wait list and only 28,954 transplants).
I don't usually use Vivid Hue Home as a place for PSA's, but each year on the anniversary of my dad's transplant, I take the opportunity to share these important statistics. I can't imagine how different my life would have been these last few decades without my dad. And luckily, because of that one family's act to help save lives through organ donation, I don't have to!
Please consider being a donor if you aren't already. You can register here in your specific state.
(All statistics quoted in this post are from the US Department of Health and Human Services Organ Donor site here).
#organ #organtransplant #organdonation #organdonor #donateorgans #savelives
