Published: April 18, 2009 09:30 pm         

TRIBUNE-STAR EDITORIAL: Maggie’s gift — Difficult decisions that can save lives

A week ago today, on Page 1 of your Sunday Tribune-Star, reporter Arthur Foulkes wrote about organ donation. Part of the excellent information presented was how those who make the decision to designate themselves as organ donors in the event of death instantly create the potential of saving as many as eight lives.

It is an amazing concept that many, many residents of Indiana embrace. And the importance of such a decision isn’t just in raw numbers. The impact ultimately is on people — the recipients of organ donation and their families.

April is Donate Life Month, a time when attention is focused on the life-renewing act of organ donation. While Indiana ranks third among the 50 states for licensed drivers who have indicated a willingness to become donors, many more are needed. As Foulkes explained last Sunday, more than 1,000 Hoosiers are awaiting organ transplants, and more than 100,000 nationwide.

The realm of organ donation, for those close to it and those who experience some phase of it, is very real and highly charged. The story of any particular donation carries with it a wide range of emotion, from the sheer joy and newfound hope of a recipient, to the grief and sorrow of those close to the deceased donor.

It may well be the uncomfortable, even unpleasant thought of that grief and sorrow that prevents some from considering becoming an organ donor. But for those uneasy thinking about the unthinkable, ponder the words of a local woman who has experienced it.

Linda Vicory of Terre Haute knows what’s it like to face the daunting decisions surrounding organ donation. After she read last Sunday’s news stories, she was moved to share her personal story, and to encourage readers to think seriously about the matter.

Here, in Linda’s words, is her story: