Shria- Passionate Advocate

Organ donation is by far one of the most amazing advancements in medicine. The process just shows the love for one another by donating organs and helping those in need. I personally do not have a direct connection to organ donation and its process; however, I have seen and experienced many struggles in regards to health.

First, I have volunteered at the local hospital, Baptist Health, on a Med/Surg floor and in the ICU. When in the ICU, I experienced many different emotions from happiness when talking to a healing child to grief when experiencing multiple deaths in a row within a mere five days. Some of the patients who passed were registered organ donors, and I, along with the nurses, called upon KODA to speak with their families about the potential for donation. When KODA arrived to recover these precious gifts, I felt happy knowing that the organs would be going to someone in need. I liked to think that there was a family out there that will experience the utmost joy knowing that they would be able to spend at least a few more minutes with their loved one. Volunteering in the hospital opened my eyes to the magic of organ donation, and how just a small thing in our body that we take for granted on a daily basis can help another spend a little more time being with those they love.

Second, in my family, there have been a few health struggles. The pain of seeing some of my family members go through those issues took a toll on me and has changed me.  I want to make as much of a difference as I can to make sure that others experience as little pain as possible in helping their loved ones.

Organ donation is an amazing thing, and the public needs to know as much as they can about it so that it can make a bigger impact on the global population. Overall, although I do not have a direct connection to the process of organ donation, I feel as if being involved in helping others learn about it, helps it make a bigger difference.