Lifeline of Ohio encourages Byesville Rotarians to “Share Life”

Pictured: Phyllis Jeffries, Byesville Rotary President; Cathy Warhola, Lifeline of Ohio.

Ms. Warhola, regional representative for Lifeline of Ohio, explained to the Byesville Rotary club how donated organs and tissues can change people’s lives. Ms. Warhola, a registered nurse, said she saw first hand how much a donated organ could change a patient’s life. She worked with patients waiting for a kidney and who needed dialysis 3 times a week. Each dialysis session took 3 hours. Between sessions, patients had to limit liquids to 2 cups a day and watch what they ate. A donated kidney meant no more dialysis sessions and a normal diet.

Every person who agrees to become an organ donor can save up to 8 lives and can help up to 50 people with a tissue donation. Organs that can be donated include the heart, lungs, pancreas, liver, kidneys and small intestine. Tissues that can be donated include the eyes, bone, veins, heart valves, and skin.

Ms. Warhola stated, “Surgeons have a 4 hour window to use organ donations. Most donations from people in Guernsey County will be used to make a difference in the lives of community members.”

There is no cost to donors or their families for an organ or tissue donation. Donations are only accepted from deceased donors with the agreement of their family.

Fifty-four percent of Ohio’s citizens have agreed to be organ donors. Currently, there are over 105,000 people in the United States on the waiting list for organs. Another patient is added every 10 minutes. To join the donor registry or to get more information about organ and tissue donation, call 1-800-525-5667 or visit www.lifelineofohio.org.

The club’s next meeting will be 7:30 am, January 26, at the Stop Nine Senior Center at 60313 (GPS use 60299) Southgate Road, Byesville. Anyone interested in learning more about the Byesville Rotary can call Membership Chairs Marty Patchen, 740-685-3828, or Larry Miller, 740-439-2767.