The goal of this group is to promote education and awareness regarding Organ Donation. This group was formed due to my need for a liver transplant and need for education--my own and that of the general public.Currently there are over 58,996 people awaiting transplants. Each day, approximately 11 people die awaiting a life-giving gift from others.
Just imagine---by the time you finish reading this page, two more names will be added to the list of persons needing organs in order to prolong their lives.
Our current system of allocation seems to be out-dated and not very successful. The entire problem with our lack of donors is people are not fully aware of how bad the need is for more donors. It has been my experience,in my past two years of promoting organ donor awareness, that people don't know how bad the need is and that there is little done by the government to educate people.
Being from a small rural area, we have found that once the public is aware of the need for more donors, they respond favorably. Education is the key! Without making the public aware of the problem, the donor shortage will go on indefinitely.
I started this group in NW Kansas for the opportunity to educate the public about organ donor awareness and HCV education because there was a definite need here. Since starting this group I have used my own money to set up exhibits to illustrate the need for education and donors through out the country. I have made posters (along with my wife's help), passed out brochures, given out organ donor ribbons and pins and promoted organ donation awareness, provided HCV education every where I have gone in the past two years.
Most of my brochures and pins I have received through Midwest Organ Bank in Kansas City, KS. working with Ray Gabel
who is part of the education department and a donor organ recipient himself.
On November 5th, 1998 I participated in a educational program sponsored by the University of Kansas. This was arranged and put on in our local Gateway Auditorium by my wife Tracy. This program was designed for Nurses seeking credit hours towards their mandatory education hours required by the State of Kansas. I was asked to talk about my own recent Liver Transplant and my very good friend Peggy was asked to speak on being a donor family. Midwest Organ Bank out of Kansas City sent one of their Organ Procurement Directors and one of their Educational Speakers to this program to educate the Nurses about all aspects of Organ Donation. This five (5) hour program included slides, informational packets, great speakers and plenty of questions from the audience. This was a very rewarding program and with the education of the nurses in the NW Kansas area the word will be spread even better concerning the dire need of more organ donors. I hope that I can become involved in more programs of this nature in the future.