Grasp the opportunity to impact a life: Become an organ donor

Watching the news the other night, one story in particular caught my attention. A 21-year-old nursing student had died in an accident back in September.

Such news is typical, but this one stood out among the usual stories. Kristina Chesterman was an organ donor, and upon her death two infants, a family friend and a 64 year-old woman received a second chance. The woman, Susan Vieira, who happens to be a registered nurse, received Kristina’s heart.

After meeting Kristina’s mother, Vieira decided to fulfill Kristina’s bucket list, which included skydiving and travelling to all of the continents.

The story brought tears to my eyes as I contemplated the ironies life has to offer. As a college student, watching this tale unveiled the reality of living.

We happen to be in the prime of our lives and have the potential to achieve greatness. On the other hand, time may not be on our side.

Life seems to enjoy throwing curveballs at unsuspecting victims. Sometimes, it may not end with our happiness, but we have the opportunity to influence another person’s life, simply by checking “yes” to becoming an organ donor.

With a simple checkmark it is within our power to improve another’s life, perhaps even save one. One thing I have always known is that if I was ever offered the opportunity to save someone and didn’t, the guilt would linger in my mind until the end of my days. By becoming an organ donor, one has the chance to do exactly that.

According to www.organdonor.gov “Each day, an average of 79 people receive organ transplants. However, an average of 18 people die each day waiting for transplants that can’t take place because of the shortage of donated organs.”

In 2011, the site for Centers for Disease Control and Prevention stated the number of people who had died that year was 2,513,171. Divide that by 365 and the outcome was 6,885.4 deaths per day in the United States alone, yet we can’t save the 18 on a transplant list who are merely waiting for a second chance at life?

Each person can make a difference. University of South Dakota sophomore Samantha Johnson, an organ donor, said being an organ donor is very important.

“When you pass away you don’t need your organs and someone else in need can live because of you. You can live on through them,” Johnson said.

Granted, not all organ transplants go accordingly, and I understand people have their reasons for saying no, but, I would have rather tried to save someone’s life than not try at all.

You can become a little boy’s hero, an elderly woman’s inspiration, a young woman’s dream come true after much time spent suffering. I’m not asking anyone to give up their life, all I’m asking for is to consider that a simple “yes” to becoming an organ donor may, someday (hopefully in the far off future), improve or save someone else’s life.