As Valentine’s Day approaches, the smell of roses will fill the air, and boxes of chocolate will simply make anyone’s day much sweeter. Although this day was meant to show our love and appreciation for our friends, families, or significant others, February 14th is truly a day to celebrate because it also commemorates National Organ Donor Day. National Organ Donor Day, which started in 1998, intends to raise awareness for organ, eye, tissue, blood, platelets and marrow donations, honor people who have registered as organ donors or have received a donation, and acknowledge those who are currently on a waitlist or did not receive an organ in time. According to the U.S. Government Information on Organ Donation and Transplantation, the gift of organ donations influenced 42,609 lives in 2017; however, another person is added to the organ and tissue waitlist every 10 minutes.
Currently, there is a large demand for organs but a shortage of donors. Each year, the gap only continues to increase. The demand for organs has impacted countries like China, India, and the Philippines where illicit organ trading ensues. Impoverished individuals resort to selling their organs in the black market in order to make ends meet. Unfortunately, buyers sell the harvested organs at exorbitant costs while only compensating the individual a small fraction of the organ’s price. Not only is this dehumanizing practice ethically wrong and illegal, but it exploits the conditions of the poor.
Personally, I advocate for organ donations because my aunt suffers from Chronic Kidney Disease and is currently undergoing dialysis three times a week. Although her condition has not declined to the point that kidney transplant is necessary, as of February 7, 2019, there are 94,846 Americans waiting for a kidney transplant, according to the United Network for Organ Sharing, or UNOS. Thousands of families are waiting everyday for someone to save their loved-one’s life. I hope that, if anyone has the power to improve this situation through organ donation, they should take action to save a life.
During Valentines Day, let’s extend our celebration of the gift of love and friendship to advocate for organ transplant. I am urging everyone to consider becoming a blood, organ or a tissue donor. Don’t let age or sexual orientation dissuade you from considering becoming a donor.
To sign up to become an organ and tissue donor, visit:
For Emory students, please join and support Donate Life Emory at: