Organ donation group works to dispel myths

LIMA - Fifty-five percent of Allen County residents are organ donors, slightly better than the state average of 54 percent, and Lifeline of Ohio wants to see that increase.

Lifeline handles organ donation for most of Ohio, including Allen, Hardin and Logan counties. Spokeswoman Rachel Lewis was in Lima on Tuesday to promote April as "Donate Life" month.

"A lot of people don't like to think about it because they don't like to think about death," she said. "It is important to think about it just because of the impact it could have. We're talking about saving and improving 50 lives. Most of us won't be able to do that in our lifetime."

She said many people are leery of being an organ donor for a variety of reasons, including the mistaken assumption that doctors will let an organ donor die to get their organs.

Lewis said doctors are not aware of a patient's donor status and have no control over what happens to the organs they collect. Lifeline is contacted after the donor has died and submits the organs to the United Network for Organ Sharing list.

Nationally 101,000 patients are waiting for transplants. Eighteen die each day. In Ohio, 3,000 are waiting and one person dies every other day, Lewis said. In 2008, 303 Ohioans donated organs and more than 1,800 donated tissue.

She encourages potential donors to go to the Lifeline Web site at www.lifelineofohio.org to learn more facts. Some of those facts are: a donor can still have an open casket funeral, all U.S. major religions approve of organ donation and anyone can donate at any age or with any health issues.

"If you want to be a donor, register," she said. "We'll do our best to make it happen.

Registration can be made online at the Web site or when you renew your driver license.