My Take on Organ and Tissue Donation

My name is Natalie Clark and I am a pharmacy major at Ohio Northern University. When I was in the 10th grade, I was having a typical day of school, dinner with my family, and a softball game. My 19 year old brother, Ian, had gone to college classes that morning, had dinner with the family as well, and went to a business meeting in the evening. On his way home, his car hydroplaned while merging onto the highway and when his car touched down, it shot into the oncoming traffic under a semi truck. His head trauma was so severe that he was unconscious before the jaws of life were used to cut him out and Care-Flight flew him to the hospital. Multiple tests were performed before he was officially declared brain dead. This type of death allows the heart to continue beating and the organs to obtain oxygen if the patient is put on a ventilator and only occurs in about 1% of the population. Because of the circumstances, Ian was a candidate for organ and tissue donation. My parents were the ones who brought it up to the nurses and doctors because Ian had registered to be an organ donor at the Bureau of Motor Vehicles when he got his driver's permit at age 15 1/2. They signed paperwork and we were allowed to say goodbye to my unconscious brother.
Ian's organs saved five people's lives, his corneas restored the sight in two people, and 78 tissues and bones were recovered that enhanced the lives of almost four dozen others. Protocol requires names to be kept anonymous, but if both donor family and organ recipients agree, they are allowed to get each other's information. We heard back from both of the people who got Ian's kidneys. Over the past seven years, my family has become quite close to both recipient's and their families. Ian's left kidney went to a 58 year old man named Dale who lives in Ohio and is married with two kids and two grandkids. He enjoys motorcycles and took me on my first motorcycle ride. Whenever he writes to my parents, he signs the letter from, "The Boys." Ian's right kidney went to a 34 year old woman named Angie who lives in West Virginia. Her previous husband left her when she was sick before her transplant, and she remarried last fall. My mom was part of Angie's wedding ceremony and was able to light one of the unity candles along with the other mothers. She sends my parents Mother's Day cards and Father's Day cards and is so thankful for the priceless gift she received.
This gift of life is obvious to the organ recipients. What is less obvious is the fact that passing on life is a gift to the surviving donor family, too. It is the only positive aspect of such a life changing and devistating situaton. I know that it has truly helped me and my family. My parents volunteer their time at health fairs and give speaches to get people to sign up to be organ and tissue donors. My mom also sits on the Ohio board as an organ donor family representative.
I urge everyone to speak to their families about their feelings on organ donation so that if something unexpected might happen, your wishes to be an organ and tissue donor can be carried out. Even if you are unsure if you can be an organ donor, it doesn't hurt to register online and let medical professionals decide at your time of death whether or not organs and/or tissues can be donated. It is one of the most precious gifts that you can give to anyone!

Natalie Clark
Ohio Northern University
Raabe College of Pharmacy

We Did It...

This last week ONU's Do It Now College Challenge team has been recovering from our closing event. Our campaign has ended, but we are still accepting new donor registrants until our presentation for R/P Marketing Public Relations and Donate Life Ohio representatives in Columbus on May 13th.
Our final event was April 19th on the ONU campus. The rain moved us inside that morning, but we made the best of it and supporters came out for free food and giveaways as well as a raffle and corn hole tournament.
Our total is up to 93% of our goal and we are still looking for a few more people to sign-up to be organ and tissue donors.
Wanna Do It....
...Do It Now!
www.doitnowohio.org/onu