Have you said yes?

Did you catch the ABC Nightline feature last night about organ donation? I know I'm geeky, but it was so cool to watch it all happening and realize that I work for that organization! How lucky am I???

Are you a designated organ donor? Does your drivers license indicate your choice? And does your family know? This year's Mayo Clinic Annual Report features a story on organ donation. The family of the young man who died was told by the doctors that their generosity and strength would change the lives of five families that night.

I interviewed a patient who had a double lung transplant about a year ago. She was joyful and healthy and thankful to the doctors and the nurses and her family for getting her through it. She told me that as she waited at the hospital for the lungs to arrive, she sent a text message to her family and friends and asked them to pray for the family of the young woman who had died, the family who had made a decision to give a priceless gift.

I signed up years ago to be an organ donor and my family is aware of my wishes. I also volunteered for  the Bone Marrow Registry. And with bone marrow, you can donate while you're still alive. (Bonus!) I signed up in 1990 and was a partial match for one patient (didn't pass the third level of matching), but am still waiting for the call. The bone marrow registry appealed to me as a childless person. It would be the closest I would get to giving birth by giving life.

Think about it.