When you get your license at 16, many people decide to sign up to be an organ donor without really knowing what it means. Yes, you do get a pretty sticker, but you also get the chance to save a life in the future.
This past month, was Donate life month, a tribute to past organ donors throughout the world to honor them for the amount of lives saved. Did you know that one organ donor can save eight lives, restore sight to 2 people, and heal up to 75 more?
Life is one of the most treasured things on Earth, and the ability to have more time to live your life is truly a blessing on its own. The opportunity to give someone another chance to live their life to the fullest is an opportunity that many people worldwide take for granted.
My grandfather, Mike Vaswani, was a philanthropist. Anytime he had the chance, he would help someone in need. Whether it be a homeless person on the side of the street or a child who needed guidance, he was always ready to help whoever came to him. In June of 2022, he sadly passed away because of Alzheimer’s and Dementia. Throughout his 78 years, he touched many lives and continues to do so today through his donations. He decided to donate his skin, eyes, and vital organs to the Nevada Donor Network for people in need and his brain tissue to Alzheimer’s research. In just one year, Mike was able to save 11 lives with his organ donation. Although I miss him a lot, I think of how many second chances he has given to people and how beautiful it is to lose one life but to give life to another.
Shreya Shah (11) explains “I am in awe by the process of organ donation. One family is grieving the loss of their loved one, and another family is celebrating the second chance for their loved one.”
My cousin, Karina Jha, recently tore her ACL. As an athlete, it was hard for her to recover, and she thought that she had just ended her career in track and tennis. Yet, with the help of a tissue donor, Karina was given a second chance. Today, Karina can now play tennis and run track because of the grateful donation from one life to another.
So next time you go to the DMV to renew your license, or if you are just genuinely interested in being an organ donor, go to www.donateLIFEcalifornia.org and sign up. Everyone deserves a second chance at life.
