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National Donor Day
National Donor Day take place on February 14 each year. It is also known as National Organ Donor Day.
Observed each year on February 14, National Donor Day (also known as National Organ Donor Day) is a day to increase awareness about organ donation and the lives that can be saved. In the United States, there are more than 120,000 people waiting for a life-saving organ donation.
National Donor Day focuses on five different types of donations. These include organs, tissue, marrow, platelets, and blood. Many nonprofit health organizations sponsor blood and marrow drives and organ/tissue sign-ups across the nation. Approximately every two seconds, there is someone in the U.S. who needs blood, which translates to the need for over 41,000 daily donations.
What is Organ Donation?
Organ donation and transplantation allows a deceased or living donor to give life to another. Surgeons remove a healthy organ from a donor who doesn’t need it and transfer it to someone else who does. For example, organs include the liver, kidney, heart, lungs and more.
Why is organ donation important? Learn more on National Donor Day.
Organ transplantation is one of the great advances in modern medicine. It offers a second chance at life to people of all ages who have life-threatening diseases or injuries to their vital organs. Other donated tissues, like corneas, tendons and bones, can enhance lives by helping restore sight, movement and other physical functions. But the need for organ donations far exceeds the available supply. In the United States, over 100,000 people are waiting for a life-saving organ transplant on any given day. But only about 40,000 transplants take place any given year.
Did You Know?
- Organs and tissues that can be recovered for transplant include kidneys, liver, heart, pancreas, lungs, small intestine, bone, tendons, ligaments, skin, heart valves and corneas.
- One organ and tissue donor can potentially benefit more than 70 people.
- Individuals can join the National Donate Life Registry at www.RegisterMe.org. In addition, iPhone users can also register via their phone’s Health app.
Consider a Donation – Learn More About National Donor Day
Look into becoming a donor. Very few medical conditions automatically disqualify a person from donating organs. The decision to use an organ is based on strict medical criteria. It may turn out that certain organs are not suitable for transplantation, but other organs and tissues may be fine. Only medical professionals at the time of your death can determine whether your organs are suitable for transplantation.
Who can be an organ donor?
Almost everyone is a potential organ or tissue donor. There is no official age limit, and most people have healthy parts left even when disease has affected other organs. Organ donors let the experts decide which of their parts are viable for donation and transplantation. Experts will assess the health of your organs and tissues at the time that they become available. If you want to be a living donor, healthcare providers will assess the health of your organs and your overall health to ensure your safety before proceeding.
Organ donation is represented by the color green. Show your support in raising awareness with a green ribbon, green enamel awareness pin or a green wristband. And visit organ donor.gov for more information on organ donation. Additional information is also available from the Mayo Clinic website.
(Content: Nationaldaycalnedar.com, Image: Pinterest.com)
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