In the spirit of National Organ Donation Month, WABC-TV has partnered with NewYork-Presbyterian to spread the word about organ donation. While scarcity of organ donors is a critical problem nation-wide, especially low numbers of donors affect New York, which currently ranks 48 out of the 50 states in number of living organ donors.
"It's a tremendous public health issue," explains Jean Emond, MD, Vice Chair and Director of Transplantation, NewYork-Presbyterian/Columbia University Medical Center. "If people died while waiting for heart surgery or other life-saving medical treatments, it would be considered a crisis, but patients waiting for organ transplants, which are life-saving and highly effective, are not always regarded as a population in need."
In their new special "Connected for Life," WABC-TV and NewYork-Presbyterian invites viewers to join area residents as they recount their personal journeys of receiving an organ transplant. This special half hour helps viewers break down the common myths surrounding deceased organ donation, focusing on what to consider when thinking about organ donation and offering advice about how one can ensure their organ donation wishes will be honored. The show also highlights groundbreaking research and how professional sports teams from our area and celebrities are helping to spread the word.
Opening an important dialogue about organ donation,"Connected for Life" encourages all to consider answering the call to become an organ donor.