Donate Life

I am sorry I am not starting off this Monday post with some cheery weekend recap.  I was going to save this type of post for Luca's two year transplantiversary in December.  But a fellow liver mama posted this article on facebook and it hit me in the gut:
http://www.birminghammail.net/news/top-stories/2012/10/05/colourful-farewell-to-tragic-kingstanding-schoolgirl-lucy-wilton-97319-31969867/

Sadly, this story is one that I hear about too often.  The transplant community is small - we hear about others' stories all the time.  I have heard about countless people, and children, dying while waiting for a transplant.  This fellow liver mama said it perfectly:  "The fact is, most transplanted organs will fail or reject at some point and, if another donated organ cannot be found in time, this is the tragic result. There is a severe shortage of life-saving deceased donor organs. Please consider being someone's angel... DONATE LIFE!"

I have talked openly about the fact that Luca will need to be retransplanted sooner rather than later in her life.  We will have to watch her get sicker and sicker in order to move up on the transplant list.  I count my lucky stars every single time her lab numbers come back okay, because we know too well that things can turn south at any point.

Please take the few minutes to sign up through your state.  Simply checking "yes" on your driver's license is not enough.  Signing up through your state's Donate Life website ensures that your wishes are followed.  It takes the pressure off of your family to decide what you want donated, when they are going through enough turmoil.  It allows doctors to retrieve the organs more quickly, ensuring that the person you are about to save gets the organ in great condition.

Maryland - https://www.donatelifemaryland.org/
Virginia - https://www.donatelifevirginia.org/
DC - http://www.donatelifedc.org/

If you want help finding out the website for your state, please let me know.  I will be glad to do the legwork if it means you will sign up to save someone's life.

DONATE LIFE