You may wonder if registering to donate your organs after you die will have any measurable effect on the lives of others

Maybe thinking about the fact that you and everyone around you are going to, well, die is so unnerving that filling out a form with instructions as to which of your internal organs you are willing to donate after that inevitable event just feels weird.

Take a breath, and check out these seven reasons to consider becoming an organ donor.

You might be surprised by how easy it is for someone to save or benefit someone’s life.

As the population increases, the need for organ donors is still much greater than what the number of registered donors can provide. According to the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, each day, 18 people die waiting for an organ transplant.

A new name is added to the Organ Procurement and Transplant Network’s organ transplant waiting list every 10 minutes. And the gap between those waiting for a transplant and those registered as an organ donor is growing.

Donating an organ will not cost you or your family a thing. You and your family will never be billed for any expense related to the donation. Living donors, that is, donors who donate an organ while they are alive should also consult with their doctor about the possible health risks that come with donating a kidney, bone marrow, or other organs.

Living organ donors are never charged to be a donor but may incur expenses if they don’t have health coverage while they are recovering from surgery.

Becoming a registered organ donor doesn’t mean you have the potential to save just one life; it means you might save several. A single organ donor can save up to eight lives through organ donation. Even more amazing, tissue and eye donors can save or improve the lives of up to 50 people.

No matter what age you are, you can register to be an organ donor.

Even children under the age of 18 can be registered by their parents. If you have health issues, you still may be able to donate a healthy organ. At the time of death of a registered donor, doctors determine which organs are and which are not healthy and suitable for donation.

People suffering from a systemic condition such as cancer or HIV/AIDs cannot donate their organs.

Among minorities, there is a greater need for organ transplants. Kidney, heart, lung, pancreas, and liver diseases, as well as high blood pressure and diabetes, are more prevalent among minorities, including African-Americans, Latinos, and Native Americans, creating a higher need for organ donations.

Many of the world’s major religions officially support organ donation.

Among Protestants, Catholics, and Jews, organ donation is seen as a virtuous and charitable act.

Other religious faiths support organ donation but view it as a personal choice.

Thanks to the Internet, registering to become an organ donor is simple and takes about 60 seconds of your time. If you’d like to become an organ donor, one good place to start is the website for the James Redford Institute for Transplant Awareness, which provides information and links to donor registration organizations for every state in the U.S.

You can also type “become an organ donor” and your state’s name into the Google search engine to connect to your state’s registry.

When Your Life is Over – Pass on Life Through The Organ Transplant Registry

Article Source and Author: 7 Reasons to Be an Organ Donor