ThedaCare. PC: Fox 11 Online
NEENAH, WI (WTAQ-WLUK) — ThedaCare Regional Medical Center in Neenah is marking National Donate Life Month. A flag encouraging donations is just below the American flag on the hospital’s flagpole.
Just after 10:00 Wednesday morning, leaders with the hospital’s organ and tissue donation program and an organ donor spoke about the importance of organ donation.
The group held a moment of silence at 10:08 a.m. That time is chosen specifically to represent how 1 donor can save 8 lives. The silence lasts for 1 minute and 4 seconds, representing the 104,000 patients awaiting organ, tissue, and/or eye donations in the United States. According to ThedaCare, nearly 1,500 of those patients are in Wisconsin.
Sue Broeren is the organ donation coordinator at ThedaCare Regional Medical Center. She encourages those unsure about donating their organs to become donors. “If someone is on the fence I would let them know all wonderful things, all the benefits organ donation can have. You don’t need your organs after you’ve gone, but you can live on through others,” she said.
Broeren said prospective donors should add their name to the registry before their death.
It leaves your family without having to wonder what you want. A lot of times family will feel guilt that they’re (donating a family member’s organs) doing this. But if you have that all figured out ahead of time the guilt is gone and they are at peace and they know what they did was right.
Sarah Forster shared her donor story at the flag raising. Forster’s son spent his life in a wheelchair; he was non-verbal and non-mobile. Forster said he had a medical emergency and lost his heartbeat at school. After his death, Forster donated his organs. She said donating his organs helped give her family solace about his death.
“We wanted to share his gift and extend his legacy,” Forster said. “Organ donation is a beautiful tragedy. Because it’s tragic for the family losing their child or losing their loved one, but how beautiful is it that you get to give that gift to somebody else?”
If you wish to become an organ donor, you may register when renewing your driver’s license or ID with the Department of Motor Vehicles. You can also add or remove your name from the registry online.
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