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 BHW Resident Surgeon
Posts: 25352
  
Location: Bastrop, Texas | I thought I would share. Last night we went to a banquet that was a celebration of the 25th anniversary of the transplant program in Fargo. It was a pretty moving experience to re-live the history of the program and realize just how many lives have been touched over the last 25 years. It's hard to imagine that it's been 25 years. One of the speakers was Susan Gunderson, the CEO of "Lifesource" which is the organization responsible for organ procurement in Minnesota, ND, SD, and Wisconsin. She reviewed some of the vital statistics on organ donation both in the upper midwest and across the nation. One thing that was especially moving was something new that has evolved over the past 10 years or so....."Chain transplants". More and more people have volunteered to donate their kidneys anonymously to recipients on waiting lists. This is different than traditional "living-related" donors who donate to loved ones. These are people willing to donate a kidney to someone who, for whatever reason, has been unable to get an adequately matched kidney, and, are therefore chained to dialysis indefinitely. These people are really angels. They are willing to basically lay their lives on the line for a complete stranger, for nothing in return. They don't make a penny and they can only meet the recipient afterwards, and only if the recipient consents.
Think about that. We celebrate, and rightfully so, soldiers who have shown exceptional gallantry and bravery, without regard to their own safety, in battle......it's called the "Medal of Honor". These people are rare and they are recognized as national heroes. Those who are willing to risk their lives to donate an organ for absolutely nothing in return are similar heroes. I just think that once in a while, during these times of chaos and tumult, it's nice to be reminded of "The Better Angels of Our Nature". |
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 Hugs to You
Posts: 7551
 
Location: In The Land of Cotton | People who do this truly are angels. And, of course, those who do know a family member etc. I always try and read about these type of things, mainly because I was born with only one kidney.
You were/are a very blessed person to have been involved in a field where the rewards are so great. |
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BHW Resident Surgeon
Posts: 25352
Location: Bastrop, Texas | To say I got a lump in my throat is an understatement. It really was a pretty moving experience. The program has done nearly 700 solid organ transplants so far. Not only does this impact the organ recipients, but it has enabled many of them to go on and have kids and lead normal lives.....and think about the impact on all the friends and relatives. I realize I really am blessed to be a witness to all of this firsthand. To see someone selflessly and anonymously lay their life on the line for another human being, with the expectation of nothing in return, is just magnificent. There's no other way to describe it. Meeting such a person is really a special privilege. |
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 Forever Young
Posts: 6768
Location: relocated to Texas | That meeting was truly a moving experience. I don't think that most of us give much thought about organ donation or the
impact a transplant can have on the lives of the organ recipient, their family and friends. I want to say too, that Scott is being very modest in this post. The meeting was a celebration of 25 years of the transplant program in Fargo, ND. Dr. Scott Harris was a pioneer of this program, it was his brain child. The admiration and respect for him from his colleagues and the transplant patients who were in attendance was heartwarming. He was asked to give a speech and he did so brilliantly, off the cuff and from the heart. It gave me a great sense of pride and further insight into the heart of the man that I love. Great job, honey. |
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Hungarian Midget Woman
Location: Midwest | That's awesome. One of the things I really like about working in the medical field is that we can directly influence patient care and help make peoples' lives better.
It's truly a cool thing you've organized, doc. Kudos. 
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  Angel in a Sorrel Coat
Posts: 16030
Location: In a happy place | Thank you for caring so much Doc. |
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 A Somebody to Everybody
Posts: 41354
Location: Under The Big Sky Of Texas | sorrel horse ranch - 2014-09-18 3:49 PM Thank you for caring so much Doc.
Ditto, you're a good man with a big old Texas size heart  |
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