Upper Cumberland residents can learn more about the organ and tissue donation process during National Donate Life Month.
Trisha Lopez is External Affairs Coordinator for Tennessee Donor Services. She travels the state educating residents on the benefits and the number of people who need a donation. Lopez said this month is a time to express thanks to everyone involved in the life-saving decision.
“In the state of Tennessee alone, we have about 2,800 or so that are waiting for a life saving organ,” Lopez said. “And to be able to pay tribute to those that have donated, to pay tribute to the families, pay tribute to those that are still waiting and our recipient families, it’s a gift. So to be able to go out and honestly shine a light on those folks, that’s the important part of Donate Life Month.”
Lopez said her job as a donor educator is to go into schools, businesses and county clerks offices to simply talk about this issue of organ donation. Lopez said that is the first step and sometimes the most difficult.
“The one thing that I really hope folks talk away from talking about this subject is the importance of communication. One donor hero can save eight lives or improve the lives of seventy five,” Lopez said. “Have the conversation with someone, you know, the person that’s important to you, spouse, parents, siblings. So that when that time comes, everyone in your family is at least aware of what you want to do, what your wishes are and why you believe that is what you want to do, that you want to be a gift.”
Lopez said technology has helped increase their messaging strategies in recent years.
“We do a lot of online communication right now. We do a lot of texting,” Lopez said. “So to sit down and have that talk, you know, how often are we actually sitting down at the dinner table to have conversations anymore? So, I think some of that can be challenging, but I think on the other side of that are tremendous opportunities to connect in a new and exciting ways.”
If you or someone you know would like to be an organ donor you can get that information at your county’s clerk office or visit TennesseeDonor.Org.
