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Welcome to the Topeka & Shawnee County Public Library

Celebrate the Gift of Life:  2 stories from the front lines of organ donation

April is National Donate Life Month.  Every day this month, people across the United States make a special effort to celebrate the tremendous generosity of those who have saved lives by becoming organ, tissue, marrow, and blood donors and to encourage more Americans to follow their fine example.  TSCPL is blessed to have two staff members who have participated in organ donation.  Karen, a reference professional in Adult Services, donated her bone marrow to her brother.  Betty Jean, a youth services librarian, donated her husband's corneas after his unexpected death.  Watch their inspirational stories.

Karen in Adult Services donated bone marrow for her brother 
Betty Jean in Youth Services donated her husband's corneas after his unexpected death.

Becoming an organ donor begins with the simple act of letting your family and friends know that you want to be a donor. OrganDonor.gov provides these helpful ideas on how to get involved:

Make it known: I want to be a donor
  • Register with your State Donor Registry, if available.
  • Say YES to donation on your driver's license.
  • Tell your family, friends, physician, and faith leader that you want to be a donor.
  • Fill out and sign a donor card, have it witnessed, carry it with you.
Tell someone: The need is great and growing.
  • More than 98,000 people are in need of an organ for transplant.
  • Each day, about 77 people get the organ transplant that gives them a second chance, but 17 to 19 others die because they did not receive an organ transplant.
  • More than half the people on the waiting list for a donated organ are racial or ethnic minorities. Chances of getting a transplant increase if donor and recipient share the same racial/ethnic background.
Get involved: Become a donation advocate.
  • Encourage your company, association, union, or other organizations to which you may belong to join the Workplace Partnership for Life.
  • Promote and support work site donation campaigns.
  • Tell your local high school about Decision Donation, a school program that educates students about donation.
  • Participate in local National Donate Life Month events sponsored by your local organ procurement organization.

Organ donation is about giving life, even if it sometimes comes in the shadow of death.  We at TSCPL are happy to provide you with the resources you need to make this important decision.  Thanks.

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I was immensely touched by the stories of such amazing gifts.  Other such stories can be seen on the following website:  MatchingDonors.com which was featured on The Today Show today.

Posted by Deb S.

May 04, 2009 at 12:40 PM

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Topeka and Shawnee County Public Library
1515 SW 10th Ave | Topeka, KS 66604-1374 | (785) 580-4400
www.tscpl.org

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