Almost half of the people who could be organ donors aren’t, and more than 80-thousand people in the U.S. are waiting on a life-saving donation. In Iowa, 350 people need a transplant this year, or they may die. Organ donation advocate Susan Larson says if you aren’t yet a donor, tell your loved ones you want to be and sign up — on-line. About ten years ago, the difference between the number who said yes to donation and the number in need was only about five thousand, and now that difference is 60-thousand. Larson says many Iowans simply don’t want to face the fact they could die in a car crash tomorrow — and that their organs could save someone else who’s suffering. Most people really don’t think about it in advance, Larson says, and when there’s an unfortunate situation and families are asked about organ donation, they say “we don’t know what our loved one wanted.” April is National Donate Life Month. For more information, go to “www.iowadonornetwork.org”.
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