National Organ Donation & Tissue Donor Sabbath

In 2005, the 10th anniversary of National Donor Sabbath was celebrated. Since 1996, faith communities throughout the nation have observed this opportunity to discuss donation over the weekend (Friday, Saturday, and Sunday) that falls two weeks before Thanksgiving. In 2005, National Donor Sabbath will be observed on November 13. Places of worship will hold services and programs focused on the life-affirming gifts of hope passed to others by organ, tissue, marrow, and blood donors. Faith leaders will participate in discussions of donation and transplantation, and houses of worship will provide activities to increase awareness of the critical need for donors.

Most religions in the United States, whether they officially support organ and tissue donation or support the individual choices of their members, view donation as an act of compassion and generosity. Temples, churches, mosques, and other places of worship will observe the National Donor Sabbath-each in their own fashion. But every National Donor Sabbath program will provide an opportunity for faith leaders and their communities, donor family members, living donors, transplant recipients, representatives from organ procurement organizations, or other donation advocates to increase awareness of sharing the greatest of all gifts: life.

While participation in National Donor Sabbath increases each year, every year the need also increases for more people to consider being donors. As of November 2005, over 90,000 men, women, and children were on the organ transplant waiting list. Donation and transplantation can save lives, but despite a 10.8 percent increase in donation in 2004 over 2003, the need for organs still far exceeds the number donated. More than 27,000 organ transplants were performed in 2004, yet each day that year 17 people died, on average, because there was no healthy organ available to replace their failing heart, kidney, liver, lung, or pancreas. More than 33,000 blood donors are needed each day in our nation, thousands of Americans each year need corneal or other tissue transplants, and an average of 3,000 individuals at any given time are searching for an unrelated marrow donor. Organ, tissue, marrow, and blood donors share gifts beyond measure.

I know that places of worship are unique settings to talk about the precious gifts of life...Regardless of race, religion, or culture, we can come together and help educate and lift awareness and ask for a response by sharing the gift of life. Let us be faithful stewards and share this gift with others in need.

-- The Reverend Canon Dalton D. Downs, heart transplant recipient and Rector of St. Timothy's Episcopal Church in Washington, D.C.

(Reference: http://www.organdonor.gov/natldonorsabbath.htm)