April Is National Donate Life Month

FARGO, N.D. (KVRR) — April is National Donate Life Month, a time for all Americans to celebrate the generosity of those who have saved lives by becoming organ donor.

We also honor the families and friends of donors who have supported their loved one’s decision to donate, as well as the caring and committed professionals who serve the transplantation community.

“And just to see their life and how sick they were prior to transplant, and now they are able to be a mom, a sister, a friend, a co worker, they are able to live their life after they have been so sick,” said Sarah Fisher.

More than 39,000 lifesaving or life-enhancing organ transplants were performed in the United States last year from both living and deceased donors.

“I know they wrote in their letters that how do you start out a conversation with a donor family thank you just doesn’t seem good enough because they know that someone died and someone’s family so that they could live.”

There are more than 107,000 people currently on the national transplant waiting list, and another person is added every nine minutes.

Every day, 17 people in America die while waiting for a transplant.

Yet, all of us have the power to help: one donor can save up to eight lives through organ donation, and can improve another 75 lives through eye and tissue donation.

“Wow! What an incredible feeling like here I am hugging my family. Seeing my family I get a second chance. Not too long ago I was gonna die. I had already lost my pride to the illness. So here I am now being told that I’m going to die and then basically some stranger I had never met gave me the gift of life not to mention why I’m celebrating. A family is mourning,” said Tina Creviston a liver recipient.

Cameron Bolton was a young man from West Fargo, ND who died tragically in a car accident after being T-boned.

He enjoyed mountain bikes and BMX, RC trucks, hunting, fishing, trap shooting, farming, watching hockey and spending time at the lake.

Most importantly he loved spending time with his family and friends.

Cameron’s family decided to donate his organs saving lives and giving people all over the united states another chance at life.

“I’m just so thankful the Cameron’s family that in their hardest moment they saved my husband’s life and that’s not something anybody ever forgets,” said heart recipient Jeremy French’s wife.

For National Donate Life Month 2023, Donate Life America was inspired by the natural world of a pond coming to life in the spring making this year’s theme FROGS.

Frogs are a sign of healing and renewal, and water lilies represent hope.

“We’re hoping that people have the information they need to make the right decision and the right decision is the decision that’s right for them,” said Arlin Fisher.

The Fisher’s encourage everyone to have the discussion with their families on organ donation to decide if that is something they want to do.

Learn more about becoming an organ donor here.