Provided by Washington Regional Transplant Community
April is National Donate Life Month. It’s a time to encourage people to register as organ, eye and tissue donors and to celebrate those who have saved lives through the gift of donation.
Across the United States, there are more than 112,000 patients on the national transplant waiting list. These people need a kidney, heart, lungs, pancreas, liver, or intestine. Thousands more need corneas to restore sight, skin to heal burns, heart valves to repair defects, bones to correct injuries and tendons/ligaments to restore movement.
Meet Malkia
Malkia White
Currently, there are more than 2,200 patients in the D.C. metropolitan area waiting for a lifesaving transplant. Patients like Malkia White, who was diagnosed with kidney disease when she was a young girl. She successfully managed her disease most of her life until a few years ago, when her kidney function went into rapid decline. Malkia, who is now on the waiting list for a new kidney, relies on dialysis treatment three nights a week to keep her alive.
About WRTC
Washington Regional Transplant Community (WRTC) is the local non-profit organ procurement organization responsible for facilitating the donation process. Last year, WRTC recovered and allocated 485 lifesaving organs from 145 generous donors. The lives of 417 individuals were saved. WRTC also recovered tissues from 462 benevolent donors, whose precious gifts could enhance the lives of nearly 35,000 people.
Despite the ongoing spread of COVID-19, WRTC staff continue to recover and allocate organs and tissues for transplant candidates. WRTC is working with hospital partners and transplant centers to ensure as many patients receive lifesaving transplants as possible. The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) has declared organ recovery as essential. WRTC’s dedicated front-line staff are tenacious and committed to fulfilling our mission. WRTC will be observing National Donate Life Month online. Please join WRTC on Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter to help honor donors, recipients, and their families and caregivers.
Be part of the miracle. During National Donate Life Month, give people like Malkia hope by registering to be an organ, eye and tissue donor at BeADonor.org.
