The Legacy: “I hope that you find comfort/in my memory./The work I do helps someone live:/my greatest legacy.”
The Legacy: Donate Life
Yesterday I posted “Have A Heart” along with a message about Bill Coon’s story. If you didn’t read that, I encourage you to do so. (Disclaimer: Though I wrote “The Legacy,” I have not yet been an organ donor, since I am still alive, at least when I last checked! But I am registered. There are some people who are living donors, either because of familial genetic compatibility, or because of agreeing to be a living donor. These folks deserve a living standing ovation!)
Today, I am posting “The Legacy,” a poem written from the perspective of a deceased organ donor to his or her family. Due to space limitations, I am showing only a portion of the longer poem here. I will put a link below to both an etched 20×16 picture poem, and a link to the 4×6 photo poem.The etched 20×16 piece has the longer version on it.
According to Donate Life.net, 120,000 people in the US are currently awaiting organ donation, including 1,851 children. In 2012, 28,052 organs were transplanted, from 14,013 donors.
46,000 corneas were transplanted in 2012 to help people regain or improve their vision.
18 people die each day because of a lack of available organs.
90% of Americans say that they support organ donation, but only 30% know the steps to be a donor. It’s easy! The link is below. You will be glad you did. You may save someone’s life, or vision, and in the future, I suspect that the amazing medical people will find other ways to help people with organ and tissue donations. You might find that you need it, or someone you love needs it. You will wish that there were more donors then!
It will not cost you any money to be a donor. It will not cost your family any money if you are a donor. And by registering, you are not agreeing to be a living donor.
So, here you go: click this link and look for the “Register Now” button. Click it. Register. Not hard! Donate Life.net.
In the next day or two, I will post “So Hope Will Live,” also a poem about organ donation.
Click here to see the 20×16 etched picture poem of The Legacy.
Click here to see the 4×6 photo poem of The Legacy.
