New York among worst states for organ donation

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New York among worst states for organ donation
         
Print Story Published: 9/23 4:47 pm Share Updated: 9/23 6:28 pm

Syracuse (WSYR-TV) - Central New Yorkers waiting for an organ transplant might need to be patient. New York state is among the worst states in organ donation in the US, ranking at No. 48.

268 people are waiting for kidneys alone at the transplant program at Upstate University Hospital.

For all organs, 10,000 people on the waiting list in New York state and 111,000 are waiting for organs nationwide, according to the New York Organ Donor Network.

Patricia Baker is among the lucky ones.

“It’s kind of weird thinking you’re walking around with someone else’s kidney,” she said. “But I’m very, very grateful to the family.”

Baker has had a new kidney for three months. She had been on the waiting list for seven years, living with kidney failure.

“You're really restricted and you're just sick so much that it's just awful,” she said.

The Upstate University Hospital Transplant center only performs 30 to 40 kidney transplants a year.

“Organ donation, though people would like it to be available to them when they need it, it's emotionally difficult for everybody to think about,” said Dr. Amy Friedman.

She says the biggest fear people have is that a doctor will end someone's life prematurely in order to save their organs.

“I, and my colleagues do not ever remove organs unless death has been declared by a physician who is not a member of the donation team or the transplant team,” Friedman said.

Because someone registered to be an organ donor, Patricia Baker feels she has her life back.

“It's wonderful. And I feel better, I just feel better,” Baker said.

It can be emotionally difficult to sign up as an organ donor, but, in New York State, it’s physically difficult because it’s a multi-step process. On donatelifenewyork.com, click on “Enroll in New York State Donate Life Registry.” Scroll down to “Enroll online” and then fill out the organ donor registration form. According to New York State law, however, the potential donor must physically sign the form after printing it out. Then it has to be mailed to the department of health.

http://www.9wsyr.com/news/local/story/New-York-among-worst-states-for-organ-donation/7PEXHn8RC06HwEG9WbI45g.cspx