Camden Clark Medical Center celebrates organ donation

PARKERSBURG -- The Camden Clark Medical Center commemorated organ donation efforts locally Wednesday.

The hospital, its staff, local organ recipients and representatives from Lifeline of Ohio attended a reception to commemorate those who choose to do organ donation and those whose lives were saved.

"We are celebrating Donate Life at Camden Clark," said Susan Abdella, director of Emergency Services. "Over the last year we have had five organ donors with 23 lives saved so we are very excited that our participation as a hospital is saving lives in our community."

More than 119,000 people are waiting for an organ transplant in the U.S., according to Donate Life West Virginia.

Nearly 500 West Virginians are waiting for a life-saving organ transplant, and thousands more are in need of a tissue or cornea transplant, the group said. Every 10 minutes someone new is added to the national organ transplant list and 22 people die each day for lack of an available organ, the group added.

People can register to do organ donation with the DMV or online. People are encouraged to share their decision with family, friends and others so they know what their wishes are.

Organ donation is only possible after all lifesaving measures have been taken, officials with Donate Life West Virginia said. Medical teams will do everything in their power to save someone's life, they added.

Hospital officials said transplant teams are separate from medical teams.

Most major organized religions support organ, tissue and cornea donation as many view it as the greatest gift and a final act of charity, Donate Life officials said.

Any person of any age or with a medical condition can be considered as an organ, cornea and tissue donor. At the time of someone's death, medical professionals will determine what someone can donate.

Donor families do not pay for the costs of donation, officials said.

One person can save up to eight lives with organ donation and enhance the lives of 50 more with tissue and cornea donation, Donate Life officials said.

Linda Marks of Veto, Ohio, received a heart transplant four and a half years ago.

"I have just been so blessed with this," she said. "The ability to do the things I used to do has all came back. I might be a little slower at doing it, but I can do anything I want to do."

Before walking around was difficult and tiring.

"Walking across a parking lot was a chore," Marks said. "Walking in my home was a chore.

"Now I am so blessed to be able to do those things again. I feel so blessed to be here, be able to walk and to be able to do the things normal people do."

Tim Jones of New Albany, Ohio, received a heart transplant 14 years ago.

"What it has meant to me is I have had 14 years longer to live," he said.

Both Marks and Jones were thankful their donors made the choice to be an organ donor.

"I have met my donor family," Jones said. "That opportunity and that family opening up that life to me has been over the top."