5 Rewarding Reasons to Become an Organ Donor

Over 100,000 people need organ donations. There are myths and fears surrounding organ donation, but it’s safe and easy to become an organ donor through your state or local transplant hospital.

Why should you become an organ donor? There are many good reasons. We bring you the top five organ donor benefits.

1. You Save Lives

Over 17 people die every day because they don’t get the organ donations they need in time, according to the American Transplant Foundation.

You can be a living donor and/or donate all your viable organs after death. When you do pass on, you’ll gift your life to many thankful people. It’s an amazing legacy your family can take comfort in while changing lives for the better.

Your family will also receive support from an Organ Procurement Organization (OPO). What is an OPO? It’s a non-profit dedicated to educating people about organ donation and helping grieving families work through their loss.

2. The Waiting Lists Are Long

Every nine minutes adds another name to the organ donation waitlist. When you become an organ donor, you scratch names off the list so other people can move up.

One organ donor can potentially save eight lives with their organ donations and over 75 more through tissue donation. This frees up many waiting list spots for people whose time may be running out.

Despite popular misconception, rich or politically connected people in the U.S. do not get an organ donation first. Organ donation is managed by the United Network for Organ Sharing (UNOS).

Organ donors are matched to recipients based on blood type, proximity, and medical urgency. Income level and political affiliation isn’t a factor.

3. Your Organs Are Likely To Qualify

You might think your organs are too old or unhealthy to save lives. There are few disqualifying factors to become an organ donor.

Infectious medical issues such as HIV, active cancer, or certain diseases will disqualify you. But the disqualifications for tissue and organ donation are much smaller than blood donations.

Organs are so desperately needed, doctors will still take organs that aren’t in perfect health. The alternative is organ failure and death for the waiting recipient.

4. It’s Free and Easy

You can sign up to be an organ donor online. It’s free and takes only a few minutes. Make sure your loved ones are informed, so they’ll know to carry out your last wishes if something sudden and unexpected happens.

How do you become a living donor? The process and qualifications are a little different. You’ll have to contact a transplant hospital. They’ll be able to guide you through it with an independent donor advocate (IPA).

5. You Could Be the One Who Needs an Organ Donor

Most of us were taught the golden rule in kindergarten: treat others how you (reasonably) want to be treated. This applies to organ donation, too.

Imagine you’re the one waiting for an organ donation, hoping desperately for a donor before the worst happens. You and your loved ones could go through mental and emotional agony, waiting and hoping.

But you could end up being another tragic statistic instead, even though your death was preventable. When you donate organs, you save lives the way you would want your life saved in the same situation.

Organ Donor Today, Saving Lives Tomorrow

We all hope for the best, but the worst can still happen. When you become an organ donor, your death will bring life to people who need it and comfort to your loved ones.

You can also be a living organ donor. However you choose to save lives, your own life will be better for it.

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