By Julie Killian
About ninety percent of people in the United States are in support of organ and tissue donations, but only thirty percent are thoroughly familiar with the process it takes to become a donor. Every 11 minutes, another person is placed on the waiting list for organ transplantation in the United States. Over 117,000 individuals are in need of either an organ or a tissue transplant. To help with organ scarcity, healthcare professionals at Mile Bluff Medical Center in Mauston, Wisconsin, will organize an organ-and tissue-donation fair on April 25. The fair is both a celebration of National Donate Life Month (April) and a chance to inform the public on the importance of organ donation. Representatives from the University of Wisconsin Organ Procurement Organization, Regeneration Technologies, as well as others will be there to discuss with the public some of the frequently asked questions regarding organ and tissue donations, including:
Who can be a donor?
What organs and/or tissue can be donated?
Can someone become a living donor?
What do family members need to know?
Is there any cost to the family for donating a loved one’s organs and tissue?
A donor has the chance to save or improve life for more than 50 individuals. Since 1998, Mile Bluff’s Organ and Tissue Procurement Team has helped over 7,550 people through donation and this tremendous assistance has made the hospital the only in Wisconsin to receive the Excellence in Donation award, eight years in a row. This award is given by Regeneration Technologies, to honor the hospital for its exceptional effort in promoting organ and tissue donations. If you are unable to attend the fair, the hospital encourages people to call the hospital at 608-847-1285 for more information.
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