Karen Thurman: “Organ donation falls into the category of things you never think will affect you, your friend, your neighbor, or your…”

“Organ donation falls into the category of things you never think will affect you, your friend, your neighbor, or your family. It happens to other people. In this Congress alone, there are several Members who have undergone successful organ transplants; and we are thankful that these fine people are here with us today. The gentleman from Massachusetts (Mr. Moakley) and the gentleman from South Carolina (Mr. Spence) are two of the lucky ones. My husband, John, was also one of the lucky ones. His successful transplantation not only gave John a new lease on life, but it also has given my children back a father, and me, a loving husband. Mr. Speaker, though we are not alone, every year thousands of Americans wait anxiously on the organ donation lists, and they are entirely dependent on those kind enough to give. They are entirely dependent on those aware that there is a genuine need. Today transplantation is extremely successful and people can live productive lives with a transplanted organ. However, because of this technology, even more people have been added to the national waiting list. Sadly, the number of donors has not grown as fast as the number of people awaiting an organ transplant. Today there are not enough organs for everyone who needs them. Even with the growing number of transplants performed, on average, there is an increase in the number of patients on the national waiting list every day.”