By Katrina Hook
We hate waiting in line.
We hate waiting in line so much that we have order-ahead apps for almost everything: food, groceries, and even clothes. Anything to get out of that single file shuffle to the cash register.
Some lines, however, cannot be avoided. Those waiting to receive an organ are stuck in a metaphorical line over 103,000 people long. Every eight minutes, someone new joins the crowd.
17 people die each day while waiting for an organ transplant. But just one donor can save eight lives and help at least 75 others. By volunteering to be an organ donor, you are not guaranteed to be able to donate. Only 0.3% of people die in a way that organ donation is possible.
Some may argue that becoming an organ donor means in the case of an emergency the doctors won’t try to save you, however, that’s not the case. Only after your death has been declared by a physician is it legal for organ donation to be considered. The number one priority will be saving your life until the moment the donor is declared brain dead.
Another common opposition is the fear of how becoming an organ donor would affect your loved ones. You can still have an open-casket funeral after donating your organs. Doctors close all cuts after removing approved tissues and organs. The donor and their kin also bear no cost for the removal of organs. The recipient must pay for the removal and transplant process.
Organ donors should also be assured that their gift will be put to good use. It is a federal felony to buy or sell organs, receiving money or a gift in exchange for a donated organ is illegal. The family of an organ donor can also choose to share information about the donor with the recipient or maintain privacy.
According to the United Network for Organ Sharing, “The U.S. has performed more organ transplants than any other country. In 2023, there were more than 39,000 organ transplants from deceased donors,” which was the 11th straight record-breaking year.
So why wait? There’s no fee to become an organ donor, but choosing not could cost someone their life. Become an organ donor when getting your driver’s license or ID, or skip the line and sign up at https://www.organdonor.gov/sign-up.
