Without the generosity of organ donors, former firefighter and fire marshal Jimmy Ward wouldn't be here today, or see the birth of his two grandchildren, or meet his future grandchild. I know that I wouldn't have been able to do it.
Ward, who received both a heart and kidney transplant, shared her story and urged others to register to become an organ donor at the Troy University School of Nursing's National Month of Giving program held last week on the Troy campus. I recommended it to people.
Nursing students, faculty and staff collaborated with new organizations, Student Organ Donation Advocates and Legacy of Hope, to raise awareness about the importance of organ donation.
“April has been designated Donate Life Month to highlight the importance of organ, tissue and eye donation,” said Dr. LaGary Carter, dean of the School of Health and Human Services. “One of the great organizations working to address this need is Legacy of Hope, a federally designated nonprofit organ procurement organization in Alabama that coordinates organ and tissue donation for transplantation and research. , has helped save more than 700 lives in this state alone by promoting and championing the importance of organ, eye, tissue, and living donation. This can be seen from the fact that they are registered as donors.”
Wards' transplant journey began in 2000 when she was diagnosed with heart disease.
“At that point the doctors told me that I would probably have to have a heart transplant at some point, which was pretty devastating news,” Ward said. “Before my diagnosis, I had worked as a firefighter for over 20 years. My lifelong expectation was to be able to save someone's life.”
Ward's heart function deteriorated significantly in 2015, and a doctor's appointment in 2016 told him he needed a heart transplant. After living on a heart pump machine for nearly 15 months, Ward received a much-needed heart transplant.
“We went to see a doctor, but we didn't go home. They sent me to the hospital right away,” he said. “I had to stay in the hospital for about two months after the transplant, not because of problems with the heart itself, but other problems related to the surgery.”
About a year and a half later, Ward was informed that her kidney function was declining and was placed on the transplant list. It was then that his wife, Lana, began her own transplant experience as a donor.
“We were enrolled in the organ donation chain through Legacy of Hope,” Ward said. “My wife underwent testing to become a living donor and received a call saying she was matched as a donor for her father who needed a transplant. I knew his son was the perfect match for me. ”
The transplant was successful, and Ward was hospitalized for about five days.
“As time went on, I had no idea how sick I was,” he said. “The transplant helped me a lot right away. My eyesight improved and my mindset improved.”
And Lana Ward was able to donate her kidney without any problems.
“I am in contact with the donor's family,” Ward said. “They have become like another family. It has been a long journey, but it has been well worth it. We have seen two people we would never have seen without the generosity of our organ donors. I was able to see my grandchild being born.”
Abby Litofsky, community liaison for Legacy of Hope, said the partnership with Troy University is valuable because of the increased awareness of organ donation.
“There are between 1,200 and 1,300 people in Alabama waiting for lifesaving transplants. Each of us can play an important role in reducing that number,” Litofsky said. . “We are excited to work with Troy University students along with Student Giving Advocates. We will ensure that enrollment grows and that every potential donor has a life-saving opportunity. We're excited to launch SODA on the Troy campus, and we're excited to see how this event grows each year. We are excited and grateful for our partnership with Troy University.”
TROY President Dr. Jack Hawkins Jr. is also pleased with the awareness raised each year through the Donate Life event. The Hawkins family knows the importance of organ donation. Hawkins' daughter, Katie Hawkins Beal, underwent a liver transplant in 2017.
“I ask each of you, according to your own personal circumstances, to think about the people you love most and, as we all know, help them continue to enjoy life.” What are you willing to do to help?'' Dr. Hawkins said. . “What would you do to save someone else's life?'' I think these are relevant questions for today. In November 2017, I visited the University of Maryland Medical Center and told my daughter that she would likely have a heart, I know that was an important question that we never expected until we were told that she would need three transplants: a kidney, a liver.A few days later, we learned that she survived and the transplants. We were very relieved that we only needed one. That was good news. The donor and the transplant have a very special and personal meaning to us.”
More than 100,000 people are waiting for life-saving transplants, with a new person added to the list every eight minutes, according to national statistics.
“Every day, 17 people across this country die waiting for organ donation. The good news is that Alabamians are especially generous, because across this state On average, about 60 percent of people in the United States participate,” Dr. Hawkins said. “The bad news is that 40% haven't done it yet. The good news is that thanks to successful organ transplants, there are now 400,000 people alive and our daughter is just one of them. What we're talking about here today is important, especially for those in need and the families who love them. We all put our names on the list to help others. He has the ability to give.”
