Organ Transplantation: g Things You Should Know ig And Inspi (NAPSA)—Forpeople on the trans- plant waiting list, returning to health is a real andremarkable possibility. In fact, more than 90 Americans get another chance atlife every day thanks to organ donors. How manyofthese inspiring facts about donation and transplantation in the U.S. do you know? 1. Transplantsliterally keep people alive. In 2016, doctors gave former NFL quarterback and head coach Sam Wyche just daysto live. Then, the same day Sam said his goodbyes, he received a new heart from a donoranda second chance at life. After the surgery, Sam said he “felt 20, 30 years younger” and he’s now Former NFL quarterback and head back to biking,riding horses, and travel- coach Sam Wychehadjust days to ing tosee his grandkids’ football games. e whena transplant gave him his 2.One person can give many life-changing gifts. People can donate back. organs(heart, liver, pancreas,intestine, two lungs and twokidneys)plustissues 6. A little goes a long waywith livers. Whentransplanted, a segmentof a parts). Altogether, one donor can save up to eight lives and improve over 50 more. It’s incredible how one “yes” can until it achieves the functionalcapacity of a whole liver. (corneas, skin, heart valves, and other change so many lives. 3. You canregister online in min- utes. You can visit organdonor.gov to donor’ liver will grow within a recipient 7. Recent innovations mean more possibilities. Vascularized composite allografts (VCAs)like face and hand sign up on your state registry as an transplants involve multiple kinds oftissue, and they're giving hopeto service fully fast and easy to make a difference. injured in othertraumaticsituations, and mightthink that when organsturn 60 or 70, they're ready to retire. Nothing could be further from the truth! A disfigurements. Registering as an organ donordoesnot provide authorization for VCA donation. Your family must provide that authorizationat the time ofyour organ,eye, andtissue donor.It's wonder- 4. You can donate at any age. You 93-year-old liver donorfrom Texas once saved thelife of a 69-year-old teacher; and in 2017, oneofevery three donors members wounded in combat, people those born with missing limbs or severe death. Learn more at organdonor.gov/vca. recipients. Organs transplanted into children can grow and function into Discover more about the surprising andinspiring world oftransplantation andsign upto save lives at www. organdonor.gov, a website of the U.S. Department of Health and HumanSer- canlast a lifetime. Administration. was over50. 5.Transplants grow with young their adulthood and beyond.These gifts vices, Health Resources and Services
