I have often said that organ donation is the great unifier. I’ve said it on Capitol Hill when I visited my Senators and Representative offices to voice my opinions on issues that affect kidney patients and organ donation.
The elections might be over and you can breathe a sigh of relief because the millions of dollars spent on campaigns will stop! But, roll up your sleeves and get to work. I mean you, not them . . . find out who your Senators and Representatives are. Get their contact information. Then, remember this critical fact: They work for you. Reach out to them. Extend respect, common sense and professional courtesy, because you can make a difference.
Why? Because if you are a kidney patient or have a loved one affected by kidney disease, or are part of the organ donation community, it is time to tell your story to your elected official. Life can change in an instant. You can become part of this community suddenly. Maybe you have lost a loved one and donated his or her organs so someone else can live. Your sorrow is someone’s joy. You and our family exemplify the Golden Rule. Your example can help our elected officials learn it is time to work together for the good of the United States of America.
Maybe you have received a transplant? Maybe you are someone who needs a transplant? Either from a living donor or a deceased donor, it doesn’t matter. You are unique because you will probably be able to tell your elected official you didn’t or don’t care if your donor was a Democrat, a Republican, or an Independent.
See what I mean? If you or someone you love needs a life-saving organ transplant, it doesn’t matter who donates. Organ donation is the great unifier.
There are serious issues regarding organ donation Congress needs to address. The laws regarding the prescription drugs needed to keep a transplanted organ from rejection were written long ago and need to be addressed.It doesn’t make sense for someone to lose a transplanted organ because they cannot afford the medication needed to keep that organ.
Medicare covers dialysis, an artificial kidney – and for anyone who has read my book, The Reluctant Donor, you’ll understand why I thank God every day anyone with failing kidneys has this resource. My heart still aches. A year of dialysis costs far more than the prescription drugs to keep a transplanted kidney from rejecting. And, if a patient loses a transplanted kidney, that patient will need another transplant, which costs four to five more times the cost of the drugs! Bring these issues along with your personal story to your elected officials. Be respectful, have your facts, and think about solutions. Let your voice be heard because all things are possible if we work together.
A living kidney donor saves our federal government millions of dollars keeping the recipient off of dialysis. An organ transplant recipient, whether the organ was from a living or a deceased donor, becomes a contributing member of society. Along with their new health, most recipients are filled with so much gratitude their cup overflows . . . whether or not the donor was a Democrat, Republican or Independent.