Commemorate National Donor Day At Work

Did you realize that Valentine's Day coincides with a day of awareness that can save lives? That is correct! It is National Donor Day, also known as National Organ Donor Day. Every year on February 14th, National Donor Day is celebrated in the U.S.

This day has been observed since 1998 to raise public awareness and provide information on organ, eye, tissue, and blood donation.

The decision to become a donor can save up to eight lives and enhance many more - men, women, and children who depend on the generosity and sacrifice of others. I encourage individuals of all ages and backgrounds to consider this unique opportunity to help those in need and to discuss this choice with friends and family. -Barack Obama.

History And Significance Of National Donor Day

National Donor Day was established in 1998 by the Saturn Corporation and its United Auto Workers partners with assistance from other nonprofit health organizations and the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services.

The major goals of National Organ Donation day are to raise public awareness and honor those who have given selflessly to help others. February 14 is also a perfect day to recognize and restore our faith in humanity.

On Donor Day, we celebrate the generosity and compassion of the donor. This day honors people who have donated their organs, eyes, or tissues and given or received the gift of life. The day also helps raise awareness of the roughly 120,000 people on the National organ transplant waiting list.

The devastating statistic is that 22 people lose their lives every day on average while waiting for an organ transplant. The number of registered donors is almost unchanged even as the number of people on the country's organ transplant waiting lists rises quickly.

It might be challenging to begin the talk regarding organ donation. But it is crucial to do so since your brave choice will supersede your family's choices. Choosing for yourself beforehand makes things simpler for your family during a very trying and tough moment.

Sharing your vital choice to donate your organs, eyes, and tissues with close ones will help them be ready to support it. They will be more equipped to support your lifesaving decision.

How To Observe National Donor Day At Your Workplace?

Observing National Donor Day in the workplace can raise awareness among your employees. And it can also enlighten them about its significance. Below are some ways you can observe this day at your workplace.

• Sign up for a blood donation campaign. Donating blood is a simple action you may do that is absolutely painless. This way, you can make a modest contribution.

• Hold workshops by influential speakers to talk about National Donor Day and the day's importance for all your employees.

• Promote National Donor Day on your social media page and spread the word using #NationalDonorDay.

• Plan a road rally with your staff to raise awareness of the day. By offering refreshments and food and a meeting to compare notes and exchange tales about the rally afterward, you can make every employee feel as though their participation in the road rally was worthwhile.

• Distribute T-Shirts with National Donor Day written on it so your employees can wear it on that day.

Benefits Of The Donation

We can all do our part to save and heal more lives while paying homage to the donor's legacy of compassion and generosity. The lifesaving benefits of the main types of donation- organ, eye, tissue, blood, platelets, and marrow, are as follows.

• Donation of Organs - On average, 20 individuals pass away daily while waiting for a lifesaving transplant. A single organ donor can save as many as eight lives.

• Donation of Eyes and Tissue - Eye and tissue donors can save the lives of more than 75 individuals and help two people regain their sight.

• Donation of Bone Marrow - Seventy percent of patients who require a bone marrow transplant due to illness, infection, or chemotherapy lack a family member who is a compatible donor. Anyone can be the ideal match.

• Donation Of Platelets - People battling and surviving cancer, chronic illnesses, and catastrophic traumas depend on platelets. There is a requirement for platelets every 30 seconds.

• Donation Of Blood - Over 41,000 blood donations are required daily because someone needs a blood transfusion every two seconds. Blood donations are beneficial for both the recipients' health and the donors’ health as well.

Facts And Stats

Organ transplantation from one person to another is feasible because of the enormous advancements in modern medicine, allowing recipients to live healthy lives. This development has helped in saving and healing lives.

• Ronald Lee Herrick, who gave a kidney to his twin brother, was the first kidney donor in history.

• In 1954, a successful living donor organ transplant was performed in the United States. Following the successful kidney transplant of Ronald and Richard Herrick, doctor Joseph Murray was awarded the 1990 Nobel Prize in Physiology and Medicine.

• Spain had the highest donor rate in the world in 2019, with 46.91 donors per million people. Followed by the US (36.88 donors per million), Croatia (34.63 donors per million), Portugal (33.8 donors per million), and France (33.25 per million).

• In the U.S., 120,000 people needed lifesaving organ transplants as of February 2, 2019. Among these, 74,897 were active candidates who were awaiting a donor. Despite favorable perceptions of organ donation, there is a substantial disparity between the number of registered donors and those waiting for transplants globally.

Winding Up

The theme of National Organ Donor Day is selflessness and giving of yourself to save the life of another person. It's a wonderful celebration as it honors all that is admirable about mankind. Donating breathes new life into someone struggling with organ-related medical conditions.

The day is important since organ donation can save someone's life. Medical knowledge has dispelled the misconception surrounding organ donation. It has also demonstrated the validity of the practice.

This article is written by Ritushree R Singh, who is a content writer and marketer at Vantage Circle. Besides having a curious heart with an avid taste for music, she relishes traveling to new places and exploring different cultures whenever possible. To get in touch, reach out to editor@vantagecircle.com