A recent story about a 9-year-old Cranberry Township girl who underwent two liver transplants before she entered kindergarten and another about a 70-year-old Summit Township man who received a heart transplant more than a decade ago underscore the need for more Americans to become organ donors.

In the first place, the need is great. Donate Life America, a nonprofit organization working to increase the number of donated organs, eyes and tissues, estimates more than 100,000 people in the United States are waiting for lifesaving organ transplants. Every nine minutes another person is added to the national transplant waiting list.

Because of the wait time, the DLA estimates 6,000 people in the U.S. died in 2021 while on the transplant waiting list, and 17 people die each day while waiting for an organ transplant.

In the second place, organ donation can help so many people. The DLA reports organ donations can save up to eight lives, a cornea donation could restore the eyesight of two people and a tissue donation could bring healing to up to 75 people.

Thirdly, with some exceptions, most religions do not formally forbid donation or receipt of organs, nor are they against transplantation from living or deceased donors.

And lastly, it is easy to become an organ donor. In Pennsylvania, a driver can select “Yes” to organ donation when applying for a driver’s license. People can sign up with an organ donor registry or sign a donor card.

It’s been estimated that while 90% of Americans are in favor of organ transplants, only 58% are registered organ donors.

This is not something to put off when 17 people a day are dying for want of transplants that could have been available if only more people had registered to make a lifesaving gift.

— EKF