Since the advent of organ transplantation, there have been untold numbers of fiction writers who have reaped a harvest as well in their science fiction or other horror stories about the illegal practice of body parts theft.

Recently there seems to be some real concern over the drop in registered organ donors since the media began reporting true cases of doctors who hasten the deaths of terminal patients just to harvest their organs—especially the heart. People are becoming more and more concerned about their own safety if they are listed as donors—and with good reason. Can we really trust another human being—who took an oath to preserve life, but has no relation to us--to have our best interests at heart in deciding whether we ‘may’ or ‘may not’ actually be brain dead and will never recover? Can we really be sure that all doctors are well schooled in what is considered truly ‘brain dead’?

And if you are a living donor who may be giving a kidney or part of your liver to another person, will you be ensured to receive proper treatment immediately after and in the months following the surgery? Will you receive proper counseling to help you prepare emotionally for what you are about to do and help alleviate the concerns you may have in the weeks or months to follow?

Any surgery has its risks, but when you are doing your part to save a loved family member, most people wouldn’t hesitate to donate that one true gift of life. There have even been recorded instances of donors giving to ‘almost’ strangers—case in point, the Starbucks waitress who gave a kidney to a customer with whom she became acquainted while serving her coffee each morning.

Recipients on a vital organ donor list may wait for as long as two years for an organ. Hearts would probably be the most prevalent since livers and kidneys can be shared. But can we believe the statistics we are given of 98,000 people nationwide on the waiting list for vital organs and 4,000 new patients added daily? Are all these people truly waiting for ‘vital’ organs or could they just need cornea transplants, or skin tissue for a nose job?

Most religions condone organ transplants and either suggest it to their parishioners or leave it entirely up to each individual person to make their own decision. Even Jehovah Witnesses, who for religious reasons cannot accept blood transfusions, do not disagree with donor transplants as long as all blood has been removed from all organs and tissue.

Some states have gone so far as to make registering as an organ donor even easier by registering on-line. So now you may have three ways of registering to give your heart (and much more) away—at the DMV, on-line, or by filling out a form and mailing it in.

With all that said, I renewed my driver’s license and said yes to being a donor. I guess I just can't let one (or however many) ‘bad apples’ spoil the whole barrel. So yes, I will give my heart—and my lungs, kidneys, etc., etc.,--to save a life or for the benefit of science (which may in the end save lives). We all take a life and death chance when we

get out of bed each morning and it is up to each individual as to how they would like to share or not to share that chance with others. Each person would have to look into their own heart to make a decision of such gravity, but I can’t help but feel we are all put here on this earth by God’s good grace to help one another. And as I am a true believer that God’s only son gave his all for me, I can surely give what I can’t take with me anyway.

Sandra E. Graham, author, AMOS JAKEY and NICOLINA, published by American Book Publishing. I also write book reviews for Bookpleasures.com Visit my website for more info: http://www.sandragraham-articles-books.com