One of the greatest miracles of modern medicine is the

ability to successfully transplant human organs, such as kidneys,

corneas and hearts, into human beings who would die otherwise.

At this very moment, 48,000 people are waiting hopefully for

organ transplants (Tenery 20). Seven of these unfortunates will

die each day because there are no organs to be had (Hans 84).

For them the wait is over. Today, I'm going to tell you why you

should become an organ donor and perhaps save the life of one

or more of these people.

People whose organs don't function properly live half lives

that affect not just themselves but everyone they love as well--

their children, their spouses, their mothers, fathers, family and

friends. An individual whose kidneys don't function can't develop

and cultivate a career. A child whose heart is weak can't get out

and run with her friends. A man with a bad liver may not be able

to keep his job. Thus candidates for organ donation feel guilty.

They become invalids, unable to spend quality time with those

they love, and fearful of the burden they are placing on their

families.

Let me make this real for you. Her name was Claire. She

was the mother of two small children. When her kidneys stopped

functioning, she felt that her life was over. Three times a week

she spent half a day in dialysis and the rest of the day recovering

from the procedure. She never had any energy and was always

exhausted. Her illness added 20 years to her appearance and

the constant battle with the side effects of the drugs took its toll.

When she became a candidate for a kidney, she was happier

than she'd ever been in her life. Unfortunately, she died before

an organ became available. It's too late to save Claire, or to

repair her children's lives, but there is something each of us

can do to help others like her.

We can carry a...