How many people do you see in this picture?
I have news for you. There are six visible and three very important invisible people who need to be visibly recognized.
Each man you see here was saved by a stranger. The stranger passed away unexpectedly and chose to donate their life-saving organs. Each man you see here was dying of liver failure and received a healthy compatible liver to extend his life.
Each woman pictured is the wife and caregiver to her husband, going through the journey together - worrying, learning, and advocating for her loved one.
We are now in a unique group, bonded by our experience, and forever changed for it. We appreciate the healthy moments we have together. We (including members of our support group) are life long friends and family.
The three invisible people in this picture are our beloved donors. We may not know their name, race, gender, sexual-orientation, or socio-economic background but they are inside keeping our loved one alive. They lived and now live on through these transplant recipients. We are forever grateful to them. They are our family. Therefore, there are nine people in this picture.
While society focuses on the individual traits of living humans which separates us causing racism, classism, homophobia, transphobia, etc. just take a look at this picture.
Our organs have no race, religion or gender. What separates us is blood type. Do you know your blood type?
One day, you or someone you love might need an organ transplant. Instead of looking down on others, remember that each one of us has the capacity to save another person’s life through living or deceased organ donation. We are one human family and all of our lives matter.
Instead of looking At someone, let’s look Through someone.
For more stories about organ donation and transplantation, please listen or read Saved by A Stranger: Life Changing Journeys of Transplant Patients https://a.co/d/7LURaPc
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