Boy with half of a heart waits for new organ

Even though my heart is basically okay, I have also checked the box on my driver's license to be an organ donor. Everything except my heart will be donated to those who need it. I agree with Dave Undis of LifeSharers that people with organs in good shape should agree to donate (at their death) to those whose organs are shortening their quality of life. My pacer is keeping my heart going and a heart transplant is a worst-case scenario for me.

I also have half a heart. I had a heart attack in '04 that took out my whole left side, and now the right side is doing all the work. I had an implantable combo pacer/defib put in my upper left chest to keep the heart rhythms intact, and so far, I'm doing okay. The mother should look into an implantable pacer to help keep the right side beating. I'm 60 years old, and still going strong and have six more years till I retire!!!!!

Your story about Michael Melton and Organ Donation highlighted the tragic shortage of human organs for transplant operations. Over 50% of the people 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 13,500 members at this writing, including ¬¬68 members in Utah. Please contact me - Dave Undis, Executive Director of LifeSharers - if your viewers 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.