• Home
  • News
    • Politics & Government
    • Business & Economy
    • Crime / Courts
    • Health / Medicine
  • Sports
    • High School Sports
    • Radio Iowa Poll
  • Affiliates
    • Affiliate Support Page
  • Contact Us
    • Reporters

Radio Iowa

Iowa's Radio News Network

You are here: Home / Human Interest / Events planned to raise awareness about organ donations

Events planned to raise awareness about organ donations

April 4, 2019 By Radio Iowa Contributor

Events are planned across Iowa this month to raise awareness about the importance of being organ, eye and tissue donors.

Deb Thielen, a registered nurse at Van Diest Medical Center in Webster City, says a single donor can save or heal more than 75 patients’ lives, so registering to be a donor is vital. “Right now in Iowa, there are 597 people waiting for organs. Kidneys rank right up there at the top of the list with heart, lungs, pancreas and liver,” Thielen says. “There are over 1.8-million Iowans who have already registered to be donors.”

According to the Iowa Donor Network, during January of this year, there were eight organ donors in Iowa, 27 organs recovered for transplant statewide and 78 tissue donors. Of the nearly 600 people on the waiting list for organs in Iowa, some 520 are waiting for kidneys, 30 need a new heart, 28 need a liver and 13 need lungs.

“Every ten minutes, someone new is added to the list, but unfortunately, an average of 20 people die each day while waiting,” Thielen says. “It’s important that we bring this awareness to people.” Knowing a person who died was a donor can be a comfort to surviving family members, Thielen says, since even in death, that person is helping others to live a better life. Many Iowans register to become donors when they renew their driver’s license, though she says there are no restrictions on who can be a donor.

“Anyone, that’s what’s so nice about this,” Thielen says. “It doesn’t make any difference if you’re five or if you’re 95, there are tissues or organs that can be recovered to help people.” If the donor is under age 18, their parent or guardian will have the final say. Learn more about the Iowa Donor Network and register online at: www.iowadonornetwork.org.

(By Pat Powers, KQWC, Webster City)

Share this:

  • Facebook
  • Twitter

Filed Under: Human Interest, News

Featured Stories

Grundy Center man sentenced to life for killing State Trooper

Jodi Husientruit remembered 27 years after she disappeared

Iowa Supreme Court rules in Mahaska-Marion County regional airport dispute

Pheasant harvest and hunter numbers both up this year

Iowa Supreme Court overturns ruling creating constitutional abortion right

TwitterFacebook
Tweets by RadioIowa

Radio Iowa/Baseball Coaches Association High School Poll 6/27/22

AJ Green signs with Milwaukee

Iowa to host Georgia Tech in ACC/Big Ten Challenge

Iowa State adds a defensive back

Radio Iowa/Baseball Coaches Association High School Poll 6/20/22

More Sports

eNews and Updates

Enter your email address:

Delivered by FeedBurner

Archives

Copyright © 2022 ยท Learfield News & Ag, LLC