February 14th is National Donor Day!
February 14th is most frequently celebrated as Valentine’s Day, but did you know that it also commemorates National Donor Day? This annual celebration aims to raise awareness about the lifesaving benefits of organ donation while encouraging conversations around this very important topic. As of August 2017, there were more than 114,000 men, women, and children on the national organ transplant waiting list, and every 10 minutes, another person is added to that waiting list. This is an issue that affects Americans of all ages every day, and a topic that is not discussed frequently enough.Organ donation can be a very complicated topic, which is why there are a multitude of resources available to us regarding eligibility, donation requirements and needs, and how exactly the process works. There are two main types of organ donation: deceased donation of organs after a patient passes away, and living donation of organs from a currently living donor. Donors can be people of all ages, including seniors, so make sure to check into some organ donation frequently asked questions to learn more about the process and how signing up to be a donor can change, or even save, someone’s life.Organ donation is an intricate process, and relies on teams of doctors and access to specialized medications to make sure an organ transplant goes smoothly. When an organ is donated, the recipient of that organ may have to rely on immunosuppressive (antirejection) medicines, which are medications that ensure that the new organ is not rejected by the body. Medicare can help cover the cost of transplants, and if you relied on Medicare for help with an organ transplant, Medicare also covers the immunosuppressant medicines that countless American patients rely on after an organ transplant is completed.Organ donation is a priority among all age groups, and donors and recipients come from all races, ages, and locations. This Valentine’s Day, keep organ donors and those waiting for organs in mind, and think about signing up in your state’s registry to become a donor yourself. We would love to hear from you all about how organ donation has affected your life or the lives of your loved ones, so share your stories with us on our Facebook and Twitter pages!