Giving the gift of life

March 11, 2019
Say Yes to Organ Donation, Aiken Regional Medical Center, Aiken, SC

The importance of organ donation and what you should know

LifeLink® of Georgia is a resource for Aiken Regional Medical Centers. “LifeLink works to provide information to families during a difficult time,” says Administrative Director of Patient Experience, Eric Muhlbaier, MHA. “When needed, we are there to provide whatever support LifeLink and the families require.”

“Donation is rare, and does not happen every day in every hospital,” states Tony Cooper, a hospital development liaison for LifeLink. “We want to make sure everyone thinks about donation and makes an informed decision about it, and let the medical professionals decide at the time of death if organ donation is possible,” says Cooper. “We are proud to work with Aiken Regional as a valued resource of community support.”

Someone is added to the national transplant waiting list every 10 minutes.

 

One donor can save up to eight lives through organ donation and more than 75 lives through eye and tissue donation.

 

What Can Be Donated: The heart, lungs, liver, pancreas, kidneys, tendons, corneas, skin, small intestine, bones, veins, cartilage, and heart valves.

 

South Carolina 2017 stats: Almost two million residents are registered donors, About 1000 people are on the organ transplant waiting list, 560 organ transplants gave people a second chance, 838 receive the gift of sight through a cornea transplant, 260 lives were enhanced through tissue donation, South Carolina became one of the top five most giving areas in the country, 97% said yes to organ donation through the South Carolina Department of Motor Vehicles.

 

The cost to donors and their families, $0 (zero dollars).22 people dies every day waiting for an organ.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Eighty-two percent of patients need a kidney.One out of three deceased donors is over the age of fifty.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Sources: Donate Life® and Donate Life® South Carolina