Approximately 15,000 to 20,000 people die each year that fulfill the requirements for organ donation (The Gift of a Lifetime). Although, in 2014; there were only 8,596 deceased organ donors (Donors Recovered in the U.S. by Donor Type). That is only 40 percent of the deceased patients that meet the requirements for organ donation. Furthermore, one registered organ donor can save eight lives; therefore, up to 160,000 patients waiting for organs each year could be saved if all those who qualified donated their organs. As of October 23, 2015 there were 122,538 patients waiting on the lifesaving organ transplant list (OPTN). If every eligible deceased patient was a registered organ donor, they would have the possibility of saving the lives of every person on the organ transplant wait list: giving over one hundred and twenty-two thousand people a second chance at life. The American government should take extra measures to educate its citizens about the monumentally life saving possibilities of organ …show more content…
A potential organ donor might also hope that his or her donation would comfort the person’s family and give them the security that their loved one would not die in vain. The seemingly difficult decision to donate one’s organs can be immensely simplified by the fact that organ donation statistically gives families a beneficial outlook on their loved one’s death. Almost 75% of the families of organ donors stated that they agreed to donate so that something positive could result from the loss of their loved one (Stouder). This crucial positivity can guide the family of a deceased donor through their grieving process; in turn, giving them a ray of hope that, even though their loved one had passed away, the person’s death gave life to another patient, and essentially another family. People should consider organ donation throughout all stages of their life in order to give themselves and their families the potential for peace if a family member’s death was to tragically