Take a look at your driver’s license. Is there a little heart in the corner indicating that you are willing to give your organs to a person in need should anything happen to you?
About 119,000 people in the United States are waiting for a life-saving transplant; almost twice the amount of fans in Veterans Memorial Stadium at full capacity. Unfortunately, thousands of those waiting won’t even get that call saying that a compatible donor organ has been found and they finally have a second chance at life.
If you are interested in being an organ donor, you can sign up right here at Jackson State University. The Mississippi Organ Recovery Agency (MORA) is holding a competition to see how many students can be signed up to donate organs. This donor challenge promotes organ and tissue donation on college campuses while encouraging on-site and online donor registration.
“Youth are leaving before their time, but their organs are good for others’ use and saving lives,” said Ollie L. Harper, Director of Nurses at the JSU Health Center.
In the state of Mississippi, there are more than 1,200 people who are included in the 119,000+ Americans in need of a life-saving organ transplant.
“It’s important to donate your organs because after you die, you are giving someone a chance to live. Although I am not an organ donor, I will definitely sign up,” said Sherita Gayden, a freshman psychology major from Kilmichael, Miss.
According to MORA, there is an average of 19 Americans who die each day waiting on a life-saving organ transplant. One organ donor can save eight lives; subsequently, one tissue donor can enhance the lives of more than 50 people.
“Many people don’t know that you can donate your heart, eyes, skin, tendons, bones, liver and even your pancreas,” said Harper.
Brittany Williams, a freshman mass communication major from Philadelphia, Pa. said, “It’s not just a matter of if more young people should sign up and donate; it’s a difficult decision. I’m not a donor yet, but I probably will be one day.”
If you are interested in being a donor, you can visit the Student Health Center located next to the McAllister-Whiteside Residence Hall for more information. You can also sign up online at www.MSORA.org/donorchallenge.
