- become an organ donor, if you're not already. Shareyourlife.org has links to organ donation information in the United States, and you can get more information about organ donation at http://www.organdonor.gov/myths_and_facts.htm
- donate blood, if you can. (the one time I tried to donate blood, I fainted, and woke up to a Red Cross worker looming over my bed saying "don't ever try this again." Not very inspiring.) But Annika is using a lot of blood today, and lots of other people need it, too.
- help fight Proposition 8 in California. The No on 8 campaign is fighting to keep marriage rights for all Californians, straight and gay. The opposition forces (largely funded by the Mormon church) are outpacing our side on fundraising 3:2, and the proposition seems to be gaining in the polls. I just contributed via Lesbian Dad's excellent fundraising post. If you're in a position to help protect marriage rights for all of us, please do. If this proposition passes in California, it's likely to lead rollbacks in marriage rights elsewhere. One of the reasons Politica and I moved here to Germany is the better legal protections afforded our family. I'm still hoping for a legal wedding in our lifetime--and a legal wedding sure would protect Curious Girl more strongly, too. Please help if you can.
09 October 2008
Doing Good
Three good things one might do today, if one were able and inclined:
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7 comments:
I'm not allowed to donate blood because I lived in England in 1988 when they were selling Mad Cows as food, and I'm not vegetarian, so I'm a risk for Bovine Spongiform Encephelopathy. A mind-blowingly tiny risk.
It just about killed my dad. Not the Mad Cow, I mean, but being told he could no longer give blood. After my sister died, that was HIS THING, his way to help. He has, like, trophies for donating a million gallons, or something crazy.
I'm calling to schedule a platelet donation (I'm AB+, universal platelet donor).
Jody said the same thing on her blog today, too, about Mad Cow. I'm sorry about your sister. I just can't imagine.
I'm feeling a bit guilty about the fainting thing--I mean, maybe I can overcome it? But I haven't yet been able to rationalize my way over it. Medical settings are the only places I faint (sometimes, the last thought before fainting is something like "gee, this really isn't so bad." The rational brain, not so much in control.)
Like Rachel, I spent just enough time in the UK in the 80s to be ineligible to give blood. Is bummer.
Good suggestions all around. Heading to Lesbian Dad now.
I had the same experience as you with giving blood and fainting...and not only did I faint but I was like a dishrag for the next few days. So I've never tried again.
Over half of the 99,000 Americans on the national transplant waiting list will die before they get a transplant. Most of these deaths are needless. Americans bury or cremate about 20,000 transplantable organs every year. Over 6,000 of our neighbors suffer and die needlessly every year as a result.
There is a simple way to put a big dent in the organ shortage -- give organs first to people who have agreed to donate their own organs when they die.
Giving organs first to organ donors will convince more people to register as organ donors. It will also make the organ allocation system fairer. People who aren't willing to share the gift of life should go to the back of the waiting list as long as there is a shortage of organs.
Anyone who wants to donate their organs to others who have agreed to donate theirs can join LifeSharers. LifeSharers is a non-profit network of organ donors who agree to offer their organs first to other organ donors when they die. Membership is free at www.lifesharers.org or by calling 1-888-ORGAN88. There is no age limit, parents can enroll their minor children, and no one is excluded due to any pre-existing medical condition.
annika has still been needing blood. thank you so much for spreading the encouragement for blood donation, and organ donation.
prop 8 is going down in california. as it should.
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