National Donor Day

Valentine’s Day might get all the billing, but for me National Donor Day is a much bigger deal. National Donor Day is an observance dedicated to spreading awareness and education about organ, eye and tissue donation. Organ, tissue and blood donation is a big deal. It’s not a new concept anymore but that doesn’t make it any less amazing. My family had a front row seat to just how amazing it is. That’s why I donate blood as often as I can. That’s why I spread the word with Team FishGuy Transplant Foundation - a non profit group raising awareness and funds for organ transplants patients and donors. Check out this amazing group here: https://teamfishguy.com/

In 2014, my family was blessed by organ donation when my father-in-law received a new heart. To know that your loved one is about to have their heart removed and replaced is pretty heavy. The waiting is heavy. To know that your blessing is someone else’s heartache is heavy.

Without a new heart, his days were literally numbered. With a new heart, he lived seven more years. My father-in-law spent those seven years living and loving his family. Sure, he still had health problems but he lived. He went fishing, worked in his garden, made waffles, cooked holiday meals and did a lot of shopping at Harbor Freight. Without those seven years, my boys would not have known him like they did.

While chatting with a friend yesterday. We have a friend who just donated part of her liver. I mean, come one, talk about a hero! My friend and I were talking about our own thoughts on being a living donor. I’m all in for taking my organs when I die - take it all. But the thought of saving someone else’s life by giving them one of your living organs is something I can’t even put into words. That’s rock star status. I’d love to say that I’m that person. I’m not. Not at this point in my life. But I hope I get there.