Newspapers / The Charlotte Post (Charlotte, … / March 8, 1984, edition 1 / Page 21
Part of The Charlotte Post (Charlotte, N.C.) / About this page
This page has errors
The date, title, or page description is wrong
This page has harmful content
This page contains sensitive or offensive material
Brook Dramatizes Need For Human Organ, Tissue Donors Special To The Post ..The real-life drama of little Joshua Brook's fight" for life dramatized the cri tical need for human organ and tissue donors. The Laurinburg infant died in December following com plications from a liver transplant, but North Caro lina’s feeling for Joshua and his family has sparked statewide interest in organ donations. In an effort to create more public awareness of the urgent need for organ _ and tissue donations and to ” encourage people to be come potential donors, Governor Jim Bunt, in co operation with the Nation al Khfciey Foundation, has declared Urn week of Match 4-10 as “Organ Donor Week" in North Carolina. Ben Shepard, who man ages the Organ Donation Program for the N.C. De partment Qf Hli|p«n F» sources said increased pu blic awareness is impor tant because the waiting list for organ transplants far exceeds the number of organs donated. “In 1962, there were 130 kidney and 330 cornea transplants performed in this state. However, there are now 250 North Caro linians waiting for a kid ney transplant and over 200 in need of a cornea trans plant,’’ Shepard said. In 1979, the Division of Health Services and the N.C. Division of Motor Vehicles began a coopers- j live campaign to increase the number of people will ing to be organ or tissue donors at the time of their deaths. A Uniform Donor Card was included with license renewal reminders mailed to driven in North I Wifi* ___ ’-jawHbiraaztB ■ r w&tw < d>W® <b\Tg V .TO)<IN)&&N(I>Q ir # Train IHrMHiii) fa ;":'.<M . Fine Family Seafood Restaurant Coll MMW Carolina. Shepard-said-that more than 86,000 drivers agreed to be organ donors in 1982, but this represented only 8Vi percent of the people who were issued driver’s licenses that year. “Despite the increase in donors over the past few years and the expected rise when 1983 figures are available, there are not nearly enough potential donors. * Stanley was miserable during that year. “I was just existing, that’s all, ”he saltf: Diafysis was incon venient because I not only had to travel to and from Duke, but had to remain on the dialysis machine for several hours each visit. My diet was extremely limited and I still felt bad. It was no way to live.” In 1976, Stamey faced a critical decision. - remain on dialysis for the rest of his life or accept his youn er brother’s offer to do nate a kidney. Stamey de cided to risk the kidney transplant “It’s been eight years since my brother gave me the gift of life. Without that transplant, I would have been dead a long time ago. Now I lead an active, normal life,” he said. Stamely takes medica tion which keeps his body from rejecting the trans planted kidney. The medi cine sometimes causes his skin to bruise easily, but he has no other side effects. Stamey said that his own experience as a transplant patient emphasized the cri tical need for organ and tissue donors. - “I was very fortunate Jo have someone in my own family who was will ing to donate a kidney Many people are less for tunate and must wait a long time before a suitable donor is found. For some, time runs out,” he said. Stamey, who has agreed to be an organ donor at the time of his death, says he will be able to give the gift of life to someone else. ■ (MUM) • Best in Gospel Music -# “Golden Oldies” - Mon.-Fri., 1-2 PM. • Ministry programs from the Charlotte community • “Ffea Market” - Mon.-Fri., 11-11:15 AM. REQUEST LINE g&PW® SETTING THE PACE for the CAROLINAS with THE LATEST GOSPEL MUSIC 7 £_. jJs-IQ ^4/lfrSi “Crosstalk W • live interviews audience participation “Coapel Today* - Contenporary Gospel Music Feature
The Charlotte Post (Charlotte, N.C.)
Standardized title groups preceding, succeeding, and alternate titles together.
March 8, 1984, edition 1
21
Click "Submit" to request a review of this page. NCDHC staff will check .
0 / 75