STOP PRESS! This is super super important to me!!
Did you know?
- One organ, eye and tissue donor can save or enhance the lives of 10 or more people.
- Australia is a world leader for successful transplant outcomes, yet has one of the lowest donation rates in the developed world.
- Around 1600 people are on Australian organ transplant waiting lists.
- On average, people on the transplant list can wait between 6 months and 4 years.
I was one of the lucky ones.
If you have been a long time blog reader of mine you may know that I was diagnosed with renal failure in my early 20's. Both kidneys. Over the years I became more & more unwell until eventually my kidneys ran out of steam. Incredibly for me, my 2 brothers AND my husband were a near perfect match for me, for live donation. My sister however, WAS a perfect match.
In August 2002, my incredible sister lay down on an operating table and let our surgeon cut her open, and take out one of her kidneys. In the theatre next door, there Iay me, yellow & puffy faced, ready to receive it. It was an incredible success.
After years of renal failure, infertility & loss, my body started healing itself with its brand new [borrowed] kidney. I went on to have 5 babies in 5 years following that.
I have to still pinch myself that all of that happened to me. There is nothing I can ever do to thank my sister enough for giving me such an amazing gift.
Without a successful transplantation, I wouldn't have my children. I may still be waiting on a list, I would have definitely been on dialysis or I may no longer be here.
And neither would these 5 beautiful little creations of Jeffs & mine.
With the exception of our wedding photo in the centre of the wall, not even ONE of these other photographs would exist on our family gallery wall. Can you imagine?
All those memories.
All that life.
All that living.
My sister Jane & I had a LIVE ORGAN DONATION. She's pretty incredible don't you think?
If she can do that, do you think that maybe you & your loved ones could talk about sharing your organs after your life is over?
What do you think?
I understand for families if it hasn't been discussed, its a very real & traumatic decision to make, but gee, its a gift that can live on in someone else rather than going to waste.....
I do believe you would, down the track, feel so good inside, that you respected someones wishes or that you made the hard call to donate when faced with the decision.
I urge you to talk to your loved ones & hopefully choose to let organs live on in others.
Be kind & share.
Kate xo
