Gift of Life

Life is a precious, beautiful gift. From that first inhalation at birth to that last great exhaling at our passing, and all the breaths and breathtaking moments in between, life is beautiful and wonderful.

And right now, I know of someone who is eagerly awaiting a donation that will allow him to breathe once again. His wife is on a messageboard that I am part of, and they are at Duke. Last night, they thought they had a set of lungs for him (he needs a double-lung transplant), but unfortunately his blood subtype (subtype? Really?) was not a match. So the waiting game continues for them.

April is National Donate Life Month. If you've thought about organ donation, have questions or concerns, or simply know that you want to but need to fill out the forms -- visit today!!! You can link to the Organ Donor registry in your state, and go from there.

But it's more than just filling out the form -- be sure to TELL! Tell friends and family that you're an organ donor. Put it on your driver's license in case no one can speak for you. Put it in your funeral arrangements and your will. TELL PEOPLE! It does no good if you fill out the forms but no one is aware that you wish to pass on the gift of life to someone.

I signed up to be an organ donor as soon as I could once I was of legal age (I think I was maybe 20 and they asked when I renewed my license). I figure if I'm in the ground, the perfectly good organs are doing me no good, when they could be helping someone else. Frankly, my theology is that God would rather me enter in without my physical heart or kidneys or whatever else if they've gone to help others -- he'll supply every need anyway!

But you also can be a live donor for kidneys or bone marrow -- so consider donations for those as well!!! You can always be a blood donor every 56 days. There are a million ways to share that wonderful gift of life with others.

Do your part today.