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Tuesday, April 7, 2009

April is Organ Donation Awareness Month!

Almost 100,000 men, women
and children currently
need life-saving organ transplants.



Every 12 minutes another name is added to
the national organ transplant waiting list.



90% of Americans say they support
donation, but only 30% know
the essential steps to take to be a donor.


What is it?

Donor organs and tissues are removed surgically, and the donor’s body is closed, as in any surgery. There are no outward signs of organ donation and open casket funerals are still possible.

How do I become an organ and tissue donor?
Marking your intentions on your driver's license or state ID card will ensure that your wishes are fulfilled. In Minnesota, residents can also register online by visiting www.DonateLifeMN.org. Also, make sure your family knows your wishes.

Myths:
Myth No. 1.
If I agree to donate my organs, my doctor or the emergency room staff won't work as hard to save my life. They'll remove my organs as soon as possible to save somebody else.
Reality. When you go to the hospital for treatment, doctors focus on saving your life — not somebody else's. You'll be seen by a doctor whose specialty most closely matches your particular emergency. The doctor in charge of your care has nothing to do with transplantation.

Myth No. 7.
I'm not in the greatest health, and my eyesight is poor. Nobody would want my organs or tissues.
Reality. Very few medical conditions automatically disqualify you from donating organs. The decision to use an organ is based on strict medical criteria. It may turn out that certain organs are not suitable for transplantation, but other organs and tissues may be fine. Don't disqualify yourself prematurely. Only medical professionals at the time of your death can determine whether your organs are suitable for transplantation.

Myth No. 9.
Rich, famous and powerful people always seem to move to the front of the line when they need a donor organ. There's no way to ensure that my organs will go to those who've waited the longest or are the neediest.
Reality. The rich and famous aren't given priority when it comes to allocating organs. It may seem that way because of the amount of publicity generated when celebrities receive a transplant, but they are treated no differently from anyone else. In fact, the United Network for Organ Sharing (UNOS), the organization responsible for maintaining the national organ transplant network, subjects all celebrity transplants to an internal audit to make sure the organ allocation was appropriate.

These myths and more information can be found at the Mayo Clinic.


To find out more on how you can make a difference
and become someone's hero, please visit these links:


Donate Life
Organ Donor
Organ Transplants

Friday, April 3, 2009

April is STD Awareness Month.

Ah yes, STDs. Remember those? Those little issues that are said to infiltrate your privates and grow puss. Yeah those things. Guess what? Well most of them don't puss, they are extremely harmful to your health and the health of people besides you- the people you spread it to...know what's even more extreme? Only 10% of people who have an STD, are aware of it. That means 90% of people have no idea they are carrying around a desease.

There are nearly 19 million new cases of sexually transmitted diseases (STDs) in the U.S. each year. About half are among 15-24 year olds.

Think about it...Most of us wont eat the food we drop on the floor, yet we may not think twice about the penis, tongue or finger we're about to put in our mouth-or other bodily opening. Food it's gross, our body parts are not gross...but we don't know where they have been. Yet even if its our own food, that we dropped- just for a second- most of us do not choose to pick it up and put it in our mouth...but we choose to accept other body parts into our...whatever(s).

If you've put someone else's body part in your orpheus, get checked. You don't know where it's been. So get checked, click here. It's Family Tree Clinic's Link, they are close and have recently been teaming up with Hamline to support the student (us) in sexual health. They are just waiting...they want to keep us safe. How much easier can it be? Yes, it is...if you do not have a car, Counseling and Health Services will pay for your ride to the bus, or get a cab, to Family Tree. There are people on this campus just waiting to help you get checked, and will be more than excited to assist you! Here they are- click.