Patients are turning to social media, unconventional means to find donors on their own
Lori Coulter, of Blacklick, OH painted messages on her car to help find a donor who might give her a kidney. Like a growing number of patients, Coulter is taking proactive and creative approaches to finding her own donor. Doctors at The Ohio State University Wexner Medical Center hope Coulter`s efforts not only help her situation, but shed light on the enormous shortage of organs available to those who desperately need them. Details on how you can help here: bit.ly/1C1rkEzImage Downloads
(COLUMBUS, Ohio) – Due to a staggering shortage in the number of donors, patients who are placed on waiting lists for organ transplants are getting creative in their efforts to help find donors themselves. Jason Rubinstein, of Dublin,Ohio, found a donor after posting a plea on Facebook. Others, like Lori Coulter, have painted signs on their cars and taken their messages to the streets.
“Patients are no longer just content to wait, they’re proactive and very creative in the search for a donor,” said Dr. Todd Pesavento, director of transplantation at The Ohio State University Wexner Medical Center’s Comprehensive Transplant Center. “We’re hoping their efforts not only pay off for them, but draw attention to the enormous shortage we’re facing in organ donation overall.”
Over the last 10 years, the number of organ donation transplants in the U.S. has been stagnant, and living donor transplants have actually dropped nearly 16 percent.
“There is an enormous need, but many people simply aren’t aware they can help or know how to go about getting it,” said Pesavento. “We’re hoping these efforts help to change that.”
Lori Coulter, of Blacklick, OH painted messages on her car to help find a donor who might give her a kidney. Like a growing number of patients, Coulter is taking proactive and creative approaches to finding her own donor. Doctors at The Ohio State University Wexner Medical Center hope Coulter`s efforts not only help her situation, but shed light on the enormous shortage of organs available to those who desperately need them. Details on how you can help here: bit.ly/1C1rkEz
After tests showed family volunteers weren`t suitable matches for a kidney transplant, Jason Rubinstein, of Dublin, OH took to social media to find a donor. Within a week of posting a message on Facebook, he found one. From posting on social media to painting signs on cars, a growing number of patients are getting creative in their efforts to find donors. Doctors at The Ohio State University Wexner Medical Center hope their initiatives will shed light on the staggering shortage of organs that are available and inspire more people to sign up to donate. Details: bit.ly/1C1rkEz
After receiving a kidney transplant from a living donor, Jason Rubinstein and his wife, of Dublin, OH, recently celebrated the birth of twins. Like a growing number of patients, Rubinstein used social media to find a donor, who turned out to be his wife`s former high school classmate. Doctors at The Ohio State University Wexner Medical Center say more patients are finding creative ways to help search for their own donors, and are hopefully raising awareness of the enormous need for organs in the process. Details: bit.ly/1C1rkEz
The number of transplant surgeries from donor organs hasn`t grown over the last 10 years, and transplants from living donors have declined nearly 16 percent. Doctors at The Ohio State University Wexner Medical Center say, because there`s a critical shortage of organs, more patients are becoming proactive. From posting messages on social media to painting signs on their cars, patients aren`t only making an effort to find suitable donors for themselves, but are raising awareness of the dire need for organs overall. Details: bit.ly/1C1rkEz
