Disclosure: this post is sponsored by Done Vida. Compensation was provided for this post, all opinions are my own.
I have done my part, now it is your turn to do your part by having a conversation with your friends and family about DONE VIDA .
ABOUT DONE VIDA
Life is a precious gift from God to mankind, and should be celebrated every day. You strive everyday to give meaning and direction to your life, but by being an organ donor you can make an impact and give direction to someone’s life, even after death. Done Vida is a federally-designated, local non-profit organization in charge of the recovery of organs, eye and tissue for transplantation.
The current statistics state that:
- As of December 15, 2017 there are 115,757 people on the waitlist in the United States.
- In the Washington DC metropolitan area alone, there are 2,203 people waiting for a life saving transplant.
- The number of Hispanic/Latinos on the national waitlist is 22,625 and 199 in the Washington, DC metropolitan area.
- 21 people die each day waiting for a life saving transplant.
- Every 10 minutes, another person is added to the waitlist.
- One person can save up to 8 lives by donating heart, two kidneys, the liver that can be split in two sections, two lungs, one pancreas and small intestines.
SOME MYTHS
Although donation and transplantation can take place successfully between individuals from different racial or ethnic groups, transplant success is often better when organs are matched between people of the same racial or ethnic background.
There are several myths when it comes to being an organ donor:
1) If I have a heart on my driver’s license, the doctors will not try to save my life?
– Medical professionals do not have access to such information. They can by no means proceed with any organ donating procedures without consulting with DONE VIDA.
2) I am too old or too sick to be a donor.
– No on is too old or sick to be an organ donor. The transplant happens only after death and based on the medical condition and health of your organs, the medical professionals decide the fate of your organs. So, one must register to be an organ donor.
3) My religion does not support organ donation.
– None of the religions in the world are against donating organs. They infact support and encourage this social and human cause. If you still have doubts, it is good to get advice from a spiritual advisor.
4) There is a cost to be an organ, eye and tissue donor.
– There is no cost to the donor’s family for donation. The donor family has to bear the medical expenses before death and any costs associated with all funeral arrangements.
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