Our primary mission is still to inspire North Carolinians to register as organ, eye and tissue donors. With each registration, we are providing hope to the more than 3,400 individuals waiting here (120,000 nationally) for the life-saving gift. Yet, as we have traditionally exclusively focused on reducing the waiting list through the giving of life, we are also starting to take a look at reducing the waiting list from the front end: creating awareness so less people need organ transplants.
How does prevention play into organ donation? For many patients on the waiting list, they had absolutely no control of their diagnosis, genetic disorder, or life-threatening condition that placed them in such a dire situation. However, for some patients, especially those awaiting kidney transplants, there are opportunities to prevent or delay such transplants from ever needing to happen.
Why the sense of urgency?
- Based on 2011, it is projected that over eight percent of the U.S. population have diabetes.
- In 2008, a total of 202,290 people with end-stage kidney disease due to diabetes were living on chronic dialysis or with a kidney transplant in the United States.
- 67 million Americans (that is 1 in 3) are currently diagnosed with high blood pressure.
- 69% of people who have a first heart attack, 77% of people who have a first stroke, and 74% of people with chronic heart failure have high blood pressure. High blood pressure is also a major risk factor for kidney disease.
- More than 1/3 of American adults qualify as obese. Obesity-related conditions include heart disease, stroke, type 2 diabetes and certain types of cancer, some of the leading causes of preventable death.
We need healthy Americans, both to reduce the waiting list but to also have healthier organs available for those in need of a life-saving transplant. For more information on ways to create a healthier life today to reduce your risk, visit one of these leading sources:
American Diabetes Association: http://www.diabetes.org
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention: http://www.cdc.gov/
American Heart Association: http://www.heart.org/HEARTORG/