Save A Life Today; Surprising Facts About Organ Donation
How The Donor Benefits
An individual may choose to become an organ donor for many personal reasons. However, it is true that some individuals mainly do it because it makes them feel good and they want to help those in need. Besides this reason, there are many benefits to the donor and their family that may not be as obvious. For instance, for a living donor, such as an individual donating one kidney or parts of a liver or lung, if they give to someone they know they will get to witness firsthand the effects of their donation and how their simple act of kindness improves the life of someone who truly needed it.
If the organ is donated to a stranger, living donors often get to meet the recipient of a donation (not always specifically theirs). Therefore, they will still have a profound understanding of how their generous gift can impact the life of someone who is suffering. Living donors are also put at the top of the transplant list, and if they ever need a transplant themselves later on in life, they will receive the first available donation due to their generous gift.
How Loved Ones Of The Donor Benefit
To put it simply, organ donations save lives. As a result, when a family decides to fulfill their loved one’s wishes to donate their organs to someone in need, the family can reap incredible benefits from this selfless act. While a family is grieving their loved one, there is comfort in knowing their loss has not been in vain as their organs can help another individual live a fulfilling and healthy life. Some donors may even want to contribute their body to medical research, as they feel a sense of responsibility to others and to help advance the field of medicine. For donors who choose to donate their body entirely after death, the organs that can be used will be given to those who are in need while the rest is used to train the doctors of the future. This can also bring comfort to a grieving family to know their loved one left a lasting legacy that contributed to medical science and helped improve healthcare for all.
Lastly, the powerful legacy left behind by an individual who changed the life of someone in need of an organ is inspiring, as it is witnessed with donor and recipient stories. These benefits go beyond the recipient and donor and affects everyone in both of these individuals' lives. Donating organ tissue and organs can make a direct difference in up to eight patients' lives, leaving behind a powerful legacy the family can be proud of.
