Every day 19 people die while waiting for a life-saving organ transplant. Approximately 104,278 people are waiting on a life saving organ and of those 81,908 are waiting on a kidney. Thats why Matchless Music Group artist David St. Romain, today, announced a partnership with the National Kidney Foundation of Middle Tennessee.
The National Kidney Foundation of Middle Tennessee supports organ donation awareness because out of the 104,000 organs needed right now, 78% of those are kidneys. Last year more than 12,031 Americans became organ donors; one organ donor can save the lives of seven people and enhance over 50 plus lives. According to Teresa Davidson, Executive Director for the National Kidney Foundation of Middle Tennessee, early detection can help prevent the progression of kidney disease to kidney failure. Once a person is in kidney failure they can survive through dialysis or a transplant. 26 million American adults suffer from Chronic Kidney Disease or CKD and millions of others are at risk. High-risk groups include those with diabetes, hypertension and a family history of kidney disease. Check with the National Kidney Foundation of Middle Tennessee for free screening information at www.nkfmdtn.org.
As part of his effort to raise awareness for the National Kidney Foundation of Middle Tennessee, David St. Romain and his record label Matchless Music Group will donate 100% of the profits from his debut single Thats Love to the National Kidney Foundation. This is a cause very important to David for many reasons. The idea for the song Thats Love came to him after a conversation with a near and dear friend of his who is awaiting a kidney transplant. This friends sister was willing to donate one of her kidneys so her sister would not have to wait for another donor, but during the testing it was revealed that she was born with only one kidney. Her sister is still waiting on a kidney.
When I learned from my friend of the struggles she was going through waiting on a kidney transplant, it was imperative that I somehow help says David St. Romain. When I got together with the other writers of this song, I had just watched the movie Pay It Forward and I had just learned of my friends situation. The idea for the song became obvious to us; the idea of loving someone so much that you would give up something, anything to help them - unconditional love.
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Your story about David St. Romain and the National Kidney Foundation highlighted the tragic shortage of human organs for transplant operations.
Over half of the 100,000 Americans on the national transplant waiting list will die before they get a transplant. Most of these deaths are needless. Americans bury or cremate 20,000 transplantable organs every year.
There is a simple way to put a big dent in the organ shortage – give donated organs first to people who have agreed to donate their own organs when they die.
Giving organs first to organ donors will convince more people to register as organ donors. It will also make the organ allocation system fairer. People who aren't willing to share the gift of life should go to the back of the waiting list as long as there is a shortage of organs.
Anyone who wants to donate their organs to others who have agreed to donate theirs can join LifeSharers. LifeSharers is a non-profit network of organ donors who agree to offer their organs first to other organ donors when they die. Membership is free at www.lifesharers.org or by calling 1-888-ORGAN88. There is no age limit, parents can enroll their minor children, and no one is excluded due to any pre-existing medical condition. LifeSharers has over 13,000 members at this writing, including 443 members in Tennessee.
Please contact me - Dave Undis, Executive Director of LifeSharers - if your readers would like to learn more about our innovative approach to increasing the number of organ donors. I can arrange interviews with some of our local members if you're interested. My email address is daveundis@lifesharers.org. My phone number is 615-351-8622.
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