ST. LOUIS — One organ donor can save multiple lives. Still, more than 100,000 people nationwide are waiting for a life-saving organ transplant.
National Donate Life Blue & Green Day, which falls on Friday, April 12, is a way for the community to bring more awareness about the importance of organ, eye and tissue donations.
Common organ donation myths
Signing up to be a donor only takes two minutes, but many myths surrounding the topic prevent people from registering.
"Whenever you ask Americans, over 90% say they support donation, but only about 50% to 60% actually sign up on the donor registry," Vice President of Organ Operations at Mid-America Transplant Lindsey Speir said.
That's why transplant organizations and doctors are clearing up these misconceptions.
Myth: Anybody can donate an organ.
False, hospitals don't allow just anyone to donate. You have to go through a rigorous process.
Myth: Donating a kidney shortens your lifespan.
This is false. If you're approved to be a donor, it does not change your life expectancy to donate one of your kidneys.
Myth: Doctors don't work as hard to save the lives of organ donors.
False, doctors work just as hard to save the lives of organ donors as non-donors.
Myth: There are already enough organs for those who need them.
This is false. There's actually a shortage of organs.
Myth: I'm too young or old to be a donor.
False, there is no age limit to organ donation.
Anne Allred shares her transplant story
5 On Your Side's Anne Allred's life was saved by a kidney transplant seven years ago.
"I would not be standing here if it wasn't for my friend from high school who stepped up, got tested and gave me one of his kidneys," Allred said.
Many might remember the incredibly difficult journey Anne has been on. She said her transplant surgery has been life-changing.
"I've been able to be a wife and a mother, a colleague, a daughter, a sister, all these things that I couldn't really be for anybody, for a long time," she said. "Anybody who's thinking about donating, it's a wonderful process, it's a safe process. They would never let you do it if you shouldn't, and they are just so careful about protecting donors. It is the most wonderful gift. It is an angel on earth to do that for someone. It is inexplicable. It is priceless, you cannot put it into words."
Allred is a great example of how donating an organ can save a life.
One donor can save up to eight lives, with eye donors able to restore sight to two people. Tissue donors can impact and enhance up to 75 lives.
Living organ donors, such as Allred's hero, can shorten wait times for over 100,000 people on the national transplant waitlist.
Speir described what it's like during the donation after-death process.
"Families request all kinds of things, like locks of hair," Speir said. "I've listened to Johnny Cash music for 24 hours straight because that's what a family wanted. I've had a mom call me every single hour on the hour. She knew that her loved one, her child, had died, but she was so grateful he could be a donor. She knew he was deceased and knew he couldn't hear her, but she wanted to call and talk to him every hour. So I gave her my cell phone number and said, 'Call me.' It does provide hope and healing for these families."
Speir said nearly 1,400 people are on the transplant waitlist in the St. Louis metro area. Of that waitlist, 35% is made up of minorities.
Dr. Henry Randall is the director of the Transplant Center at St. Louis University Hospital and a professor of surgery. He said the need for more organ donations is significant, particularly among minority communities.
"How you address that is that you try to set up programs for people who look like other people in the community," Randall said. "So, the approach … is a lot easier. But there is a need. We have Blacks here who donate at a really high rate, present themselves for donation and actually do donate. So, we encourage people from the minority community, the Black community and all communities to donate."
You can sign up to be a registered organ donor here.
People can also show their support at "Donate Life Day" at the Cardinals game on Sunday, April 21.
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