Alan Judge, an outdoor sports fanatic, was diagnosed with a heart condition eight years ago that could have led to his death.
Just after diagnosis Judge was given a donated human aortic valve that saved his life from a donor in the U.S.
"That valve, called an Dacron Tube aorta, had to be sourced from America to save my life as there were not enough suitable donors in Ireland at the time," said Alan, a native of Allan, Co Kildare.
Judge, who was born prematurely causing all sorts of problems, did a lot of research before undergoing the life-saving surgery in 2002 in Dublin.
An article that appeared in the Herald a few weeks ago about organ donation prompted Judge to tell his story.
The article stated that "some 261 life-changing organ transplants took place in Irish hospitals last year, but the demand for organs still greatly outnumbers suitable donors available."
It went on to say "more than 600 people are on the various organ transplant waiting lists today."
Judge, president of the student union body at a college in Co. Galway, is now asking students throughout the country to consider organ donation. He is also hoping that the Union of Students in Ireland will adopt organ donation as it's national charity. He intends to bring up the matter at this coming weekends national council in Co. Waterford.
"I want to raise the awareness of organ donation. It's a vitally important issue for many people," he said.
In an attempt to bring the issue to light, Judge has vowed to visit every campus to tell students if it hadn't been for a U.S. donor he wouldn't be alive today.
"We won't be asking people to give us your money, only your organs," he joked.
“You Have the Power to Save Lives – Register to be an organ and tissue donor & Tell Your Loved Ones of Your Decision”
Register to be a donor in Ontario at Trillium Gift of Life Network NEW for Ontario: recycleMe.org - Learn The Ins & Outs Of Organ And Tissue Donation. Register Today! For other Canadian provinces click here
In the United States, be sure to find out how to register in your state at ShareYourLife.org or Download Donor Cards from OrganDonor.Gov
In Great Britain, register at NHS Organ Donor Register
In Australia, register at Australian Organ Donor Register
Your generosity can save up to eight lives with heart, kidneys, liver, lungs, pancreas and small intestine transplants (see allotransplantation). One tissue donor can help 75 to 100 other people by donating skin, corneas, bone, tendon, ligaments and heart valves
Has your life been saved by an organ transplant? "Pay it forward" and help spread the word about the need for organ donation - In the U.S. another person is added to the national transplant waiting list every 11 minutes and 18 people die each day waiting for an organ or tissue transplant. Organs can save lives, corneas renew vision, and tissue may help to restore someone's ability to walk, run or move freely without pain. Life Begins with You
1 comment:
Hi Merv. Alan Judge here the SU President im glad that i have been able to spread the word of organ dontation. To update the situation i have been approved by the Student Movement in Ireland to promote organ donation and all our 250,000 students will have an opportunity to pay it forward.
Alan
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