Hamden Rotarian Urges North Haven Rotary Club to Donate Life

Paul Murray, a member of the Hamden Rotary Club, addressed the North Haven club recently about his passion for saving lives. He said that he became involved with organ donation when his wife passed away from a massive heart attack. A year before her death, he and his wife had registered as organ donors. While at the hospital after his wife’s fatal attack, he was contacted by the organ procurement staff, and knowing what his wife would have wanted, he signed the necessary paperwork to start the process of harvesting her organs to help others in need. Due to their unselfish generosity, fifty five people received assistance, according to official records. As he cited two specific individuals gaining the ability to see upon receiving his wife’s corneas, he said that helping others “made an awful situation somewhat better,” adding that the transplants were done in honor of her kindness.

Pointing out that there is no cost involved, Murray said that he is grateful to anyone who has signed on as a donor and requested that everyone consider doing so, especially at this special time of the year. He then shared some important statistics. Presently, there are 113,000 people awaiting organ and tissue donations; 18 people die each day while waiting for a donation; and someone is added to the waiting list every 11 minutes. The good news is that there are 60 million Americans who are registered donors, and there were 1 million donations made in the US in 2011, with 1,245 made in Connecticut alone.  Donated organs may include heart, intestines, kidneys, liver, lungs, and pancreas; and tissues include bones, corneas, heart valves, skin, tendons, and veins. To learn more, contact Donate Life Connecticut at www.ctorganandtissuedonation.org.