John Scripter was on his death bed with only days left to live when he consulted with his wife and then agreed to become the first heart transplant at Massachusetts General Hospital. He was really, really scared. The doctors thought, maybe they could give him another 7, maybe 10, years of life with the transplant.
Now, a folk hero, Scripter returned to MGH for a 20th anniversary celebration of his transplant. Doctors now expect him to live another 15 to 20 years.
He faced his fear and won maybe as much as an additional 40 years of life. Since more than 200 people have gotten transplants at MGH and won whole new lives. Families have remained intact, children are not orphans.
This is why people should make out organ donation cards. If you are in an accident and your heart or liver can be saved, wouldn't you want to give a perfect stranger another 40 years of life?
Donate Life.
Here's a Donor Card, free and printable.
There are also some wonderful stories
Gloria has told Suzi of her grief for Suzi's loss and her intention to be sure she is deserving of Bobby's gift. Suzi says that her grief "turned to joy when I discovered that my husband's death was not final but had given five people a chance to live." Melissa, who wrote in that first letter to Gloria that she hoped a child had received one of her dad's organs and could live to grow up, understands now that the gift that saved Gloria's life also "saved" the lives of her son Arylon and daughter Aquia, who came so close to becoming motherless at ages 9 and 6. Gloria and family, who attended Melissa's wedding, now are celebrating with Suzi the birth of Melissa's little boy, Robert.
Posted by Jill Fallon at November 5, 2005 7:37 AM | Permalink