Decide about organ, tissue donations

During April, events have been held around the country for National Donate Life Month, which encourages Americans to talk about and agree to donate organs and tissue that would mean longer and better lives for individuals seeking transplants and treatment.

Last week there was a special "Gift of Life" commemoration at Christ Episcopal Church in Cape Girardeau. Those attending heard the story of a Perryville couple who chose to donate their son's heart valves after he died from injuries received in an automobile accident. It is a situation faced by countless others who, in a time of immense emotional upheaval, must make crucial and often heart-wrenching decisions.

Advocates of organ and tissue donations understand the difficulty of making such a decision under stress and encourage us to plan for such an eventuality. This can be accomplished in several ways, and talking with family and loved ones about your desire to donate is a good start. Missouri driver's licenses have a donor form on the back that is effective only if it's filled out -- and then confirmed with family members.

The statistics speak for themselves: Each day, 68 people in the United States receive an organ transplant, but another 17 of the 81,000 on waiting lists will die.