Cedar Rapids, Iowa (KCRG) – One person will be added to the national organ transplant waiting list every eight minutes, and health workers will use April to celebrate the role of organ donors.
April is Donor Month, and healthcare workers will accept this month as an opportunity to highlight the work of organ donors. The Iowa Donor Network says an average of 16 people on the waiting list die every day. Currently, 104,000 people are waiting according to the latest data.
Tully Jackson of Des Moines is one of those who have been helped save the lives of organ donors. Her liver began to fail in 2022.
“I wasn't in a good place,” Jackson said. “I slept 18-20 hours a day, so they knew that time was the essence, right?”
Thankfully, she was on the waiting list for a relatively short period of time. She doesn't have the usual and a second chance to volunteer with the Iowa Donor Network.
“Show us through volunteering and live a healthy life. Now we are trying to honor them too,” Jackson said.
For many people on the waiting list, waiting can be the worst part.
“They don't know what will happen, they don't know when they'll ring, if they're trying to get that kidney today, or if they don't.”
MacIntosh encourages people to donate, even though the entire process can cause anxiety.
“Are there probably some concerns about what it really means, perhaps because there's no better word?
There will be a flag-raising ceremony at UnityPoint Health St. Luke's Hospital at 9:30am Tuesday to celebrate Life Month.
The Iowa Donor Network helps promote organ donation across the state. The website Iowadonornetwork.org has the latest statistics and information for those interested in donating.
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