Yesterday we had the privilege of sharing Hannah’s Story at an event for organ donor families. There were two sessions and 600+ people were there. The speaking time for me was 8 minutes, and this seemed to be too short of a time to cover all the bases. Yes, this story is deeply personal to us, but further complicating it is the sense that Hannah’s Story is like four stories wrapped up into one large, longer story. We begin with who Hannah was… 19 years wrapped into a sentence or two. Next is the explanation of her accident. Third, there is the story of the unique way in which we came to make the decision to choose organ donation. Finally, is the story of how the FB page turned into a nonprofit organization and about the work that we are now doing with Hannah Helps. I feel like I raised more questions than I answered!
I read my speech, as usual, and after each session we were able to talk to quite a few people about Hannah and Hannah Helps. Some were sympathetic to our loss. Others were inspired by her life and story. Some were drawn to the allergy portion of her story because either they or a loved one had an allergy too. Others were interested in how we as parents and a family have dealt with this whole thing.
After me, a young woman named Laura spoke, as a recipient. She shared about the trials that she went through that led her to being where she is now. It was a perfect reminder that being an organ recipient is not just about that life-changing surgery. A recipient’s story begins with who they were, then it’s about how that life they once had is stripped away from them because of their illness, next it’s about those tense months or years when they clung to life itself with no guarantee of seeing tomorrow, next it’s about that one special person who made the selfless decision to choose organ donation and how their life turned around dramatically, and finally it’s about the life that they have been able to live since that “one special day!”
Laura was in her teens when she needed a kidney. She told us how she felt like she lost her health, her identity, and nearly her life as her condition deteriorated. Fortunately for Laura, she had an older sister… a sister who was willing to be a living donor. She told us about how quickly her health changed that day, and then about how her life has changed since then. She hadn’t just received a kidney; she was truly given a life. She is married now, and despite doctors telling her that it was impossible, she is now a mother too!
Perhaps fear, uncertainty, negative press, or even politics can cloud this institution we call organ donation. That is a HUGE shame! Just talk to a recipient and you will quickly see that it’s about something else far greater. At its very heart, organ donation is about one thing; it’s about the Gift of Life!
We are blessed!
P.S. We can’t do this alone. If you would like to donate to Hannah Helps:
PayPal: paypal.com/us/fundraiser/charity/5609126
Venmo: venmo.com/u/hannahhelps19
Your support is needed and greatly appreciated!
Thank You!
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