Donating organs saves lives

Councilwoman Jane Bonner recently went above and beyond the call of duty as a public servant, donating her kidney to a friend she has known for almost 40 years.

Her friend had already undergone two organ transplant surgeries and was in desperate need of a new kidney when Bonner stepped up.

He is not the only American who has been in desperate need of an organ. Many are not as lucky.

The National Kidney Foundation said that more than 3,000 new patients are added to the kidney waiting list every month, and 13 people die every day waiting for a kidney transplant.

Bonner is helping to raise awareness for a topic that many people may not be thinking about. With all the advancements medicine makes every year, and with the U.S. having literally double the number of kidneys needed to keep the population alive, it should seem shocking that people still die from kidney failure in this day and age.

Of course, donating a kidney is certainly no small feat. Anytime one undergoes surgery there is a risk. But the conversation is important to have, even with yourself. If you have two healthy kidneys, you may be able to help save another person’s life.

The Living Kidney Donors Network said that more than 80,000 people are currently on the waiting list, where most people remain for more than five years waiting for a life-saving donation while on dialysis.

The waiting list would become exponentially longer if we were to also consider all the other organs people are waiting on, such as hearts, livers and bone marrow.

Just bringing this topic more into the spotlight may spare a life. We commend Jane Bonner for having the guts to do something so huge to save another person’s life, and for sharing her story.