Organ donation is an issue that we all hope never affects us or anyone we know; however, it is a decision that impacts the lives of many. When asked on my driver’s license application if I would be an organ donor, I said yes. It was an uncomfortable feeling. By saying yes, I faced my mortality. We all prefer to think we will live forever; however, the opposite is true. Hundreds of thousands of lives are saved each year through organ donations. A new book at the library, "The Gift that Heals: Stories of hope, renewal and transformation through organ and tissue donation" by Reg Green tells some of their stories.

Reg Green was the father of Nicholas, a seven-year old boy. Nicholas was killed during an attempted robbery while the family was vacationing in Italy. His parents donated his organs and corneas to seven Italians. The story made headlines around the world. Reg became a crusader for organ donation, forming the Nicholas Green Foundation. He compiled the personal stories in this book.

Vincent Banks was a great Daddy. When he was diagnosed with cardiomyopathy (a dying heart muscle), his doctors immediately put him on the organ donation list. One morning in 1992 he and his wife Donna were visiting on the phone at work when he didn’t respond. Donna’s secretary immediately phoned his office, and Donna listened helplessly on her line while others struggled to revive him. Vincent Banks lost his race against time. The decision to donate his corneas was an easy one for Donna. Two people now see because of Vincent.

Dan Tomczak’s wife Ellie had two kidney transplants. Although Dan’s blood type kept him from donating to Ellie, he wanted to do something. He offered to donate a kidney to a stranger. Dan’s doctors tried to talk him out of it, but he was persistent. "I saw what a transplant had done for Ellie. Why not do the same for someone else? I imagined someone out there probably on dialysis, just waiting." Michael Stern, a 6’ 4" salesman was dying until he received Dan’s kidney, a gift from a stranger. After the surgery Dan retired from construction work and became a nurse. For Dan, one good deed was not enough.

Jami Palmer grew up in Park Valley, Utah. She was a beautiful, talented, athletic 12-year old when she was diagnosed with bone cancer. Following a ten hour operation, her tumor and ten inches of her femur were removed. She received the tibia of a deceased 50-year old man, and to strengthen it a 10 ½ inch titanium rod was inserted through her hip. Self-conscious about the scar on her leg, she wanted to feel feminine again. In 2000 Jami was crowned Miss Utah. During the competition she made no attempt to cover her scar. Along the way she became an inspiration to cancer patients and a spokesperson for organ donation.

Now, back to Nicholas Green’s story. After his parent’s donated Nicholas’ organs and corneas, the rate of organ donation in Italy tripled. The President of Italy flew Nicholas’s body home in his private jet with an honor guard accompanying it. He was given the ceremonial honors of a national hero.

Maria Pia, the 19-year old girl, who received his liver, is now the mother of two children. The boy is named Nicholas. Neither has any sign of the liver disease that plagued her family.

A young woman, who received a cornea, wrote, "Since when your son has died…I think that people, common persons, can change the world. When you go to the little graveyard place please say this to him, ‘They closed your eyes, but you opened mine.’"

Say yes to organ donation. It saves lives.

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