By Abigail Lentz
Adrianne was a sophomore in high school when she was diagnosed with restrictive cardiomyopathy, a heart condition where the left side of her heart was stiff and unable to pump blood to the rest of her body correctly. The doctor told her that she would need a heart transplant. At 23-years-old, Adrianne received a heart transplant. Her new heart was donated by an organ donor, a teenager who had passed away. Adrianne could continue her life with a healthy heart because of the honorable act of this teenager being a willing organ donor. Adrianne said, “There literally is that constant reminder in my chest that I’m here because of someone else.”
But what is organ donation? Well, Cleveland Clinic defines it as “a surgical process to replace a failing organ with a healthy one from someone else who doesn’t need it.” For this to be possible, people must agree to become organ donors, people who grant permission for their organs to be given to others in need if they pass away. Organ donation is a vital decision that can save lives, and everyone should consider becoming a donor.
According to Katie McCallum, a writer at Houston Methodist, in 2022, more than 100,000 U.S. citizens were on a waitlist for a lifesaving organ transplant, but unfortunately, less than half received one. The United Network for Organ Sharing (UNOS) estimates that, on average, 13 people die every day in the U.S. because they are awaiting organ transplants. There is an ongoing global shortage of organ donations, leading to fewer people getting their lifesaving organs. One donor can save up to eight lives through organ donation or up to 75 lives through tissue donation.
Even though being an organ donor saves lives and helps others improve their quality of life, some believe that being an organ donor is a “scam.” There are many myths surrounding being an organ donor that can deter anyone from becoming an organ donor. The central myth is that if someone agrees to donate their organs, the hospital will not work as hard to save your life. First, this is illegal for a hospital to do. Another myth is that people believe they are too old to donate or are not healthy enough. This is false. There is no cutoff age; doctors look to see if your organs are in good health, not how old you are. This goes for if you have a medical condition and don’t believe to be in the best health. That’s okay! Not all organs and tissues have to be donated. Healthcare providers are always there to make the right decisions regarding proper and healthy organ donations and transplants.
Luckily, it’s easy to become an organ donor in Pennsylvania. The easiest way is to either register online through donatelifepa.org or simply indicate your desire to be an organ donor at your DMV when applying for or renewing your PA driver’s license. It doesn’t take long to significantly impact the people who need it the most.
PRSSA will be raising awareness on campus during the week of March 17. Stop by one of our events or use the QR code on our social media pages to register as an organ donor so that you, too, can make an impact!
Check out the Paul Dannelley chapter of the Public Relations Student Society of America (PRSSA) on Instagram @susquehannaprssa.