Never again just Valentine’s Day

It was 2012 that I learned February 14 is National Donor Day.

I learned this from my son John when he wrote a post (that became an op-ed in our local paper) while sitting in a dialysis chair. He was 28 at that time. Just the day before I had been approved to give him a kidney.

Prior to his sudden acute onset of a rare autoimmune disease in 2010 and consequent kidney failure, I knew basically nothing about organ donation or even kidneys for that matter. But witnessing my always healthy son endure dialysis for 22 months quickly spurred my learning curve.

As John pointed out, National Donor Day observes not only organ donation but also blood, eye and tissue. While the national numbers change every year, they are never good. This year more than 100,000 people are waiting for organ transplants. Every eight minutes another person is added to the national transplant waiting list. Seventeen people die each day waiting for an organ transplant. Eighty-five percent of patients waiting are in need of a kidney. (Source: donatelife.net)

After nearly two years of acute illness, John was approved for transplant and I had the privilege of becoming a living donor. I was 58 at the time, single and working. The transplant was successful and my son lived an additional seven years.

Now every Valentine’s Day to me is first of all Happy Donor Day!