Students shed light on organ donation
PEARCY — Two Lake Hamilton High School seniors are working to raise awareness about live organ donation.
Bridgette Thompson and Ariel Albo, both Medical Professions Education II students at National Park Technology Center, were inspired not only by Thompson’s sister, who is currently waiting a kidney transplant, but their late instructor, Sherree Hughes.
“We did this for my sister, and for all the people who don’t know that you can still live and give an organ,” Thompson said.
The students presented research on live organ donation, in a project called Sister Operation, to their classmates on Friday. They will present their findings at an upcoming Health Occupations Students of America competition in March.
Melony Ritter, communications director for National Park College, said it was obvious watching the students present their project that a spark has ignited their passion.
“We try to provide our students with opportunities to connect what they learn in the classroom to real life scenarios,” Ritter said. “It is always moving to watch how they grow and mature in their specialties and many of our NPTC students discover a real passion for their field of study during their time here.
“Others learn their talents are better focused in another field, but the advantage is they learn that early and don’t waste time and money following a path that isn’t a good fit for them.”
The students said they researched the statistics on live donation, with help from Hughes, and with this knowledge they hope to education others about being an organ donor.
“We looked up a lot of the statistics, especially about those who give and need transplants,” Albo said. “We just want everybody to be aware that you’re able to do live donations and still live your life normally.”
According to the students’ findings, 20 people die each day waiting for a transplant, and a registered organ donor can save as many as eight lives.
“Every 10 minutes, someone is added to the transplant list,” Albo said. “And it’s not just kidneys. It’s pancreas, it’s bone marrow, blood, anything.”
According to the United Network for Organ Sharing, the organization contracted by the federal government to manage the nation’s organ transplant system, there are currently more than 117,000 people in the U.S. waiting for transplants. Eighty-one percent of these individuals are in need of a kidney.
One thing that stood out in their research, the students said, were the
thousands of people in the United States who are in need of donations.
“I knew it was a lot, but finding that it was a lot bigger number put it into perspective,” Thompson said.
But Thompson said she hopes this presentation will help people like her sister receive the donations they need.
“I don’t know how far this will go, but I definitely do want my sister to get some recognition and maybe even some people help her,” Thompson said. “It doesn’t have to be someone going and immediately getting tested or give money — definitely not — but just some support for her.”
The students said they also hope their presentation will honor their instructor’s memory.
“(Hughes) was actually helping us with this before she passed away,” Albo said. “Doing this presentation meant a lot because she was so close with this project.”
According to Mike Wiles, director of NPTC, Med Pro students are passionate about the various professions in health care that they are preparing for.
“That passion shows in the projects they take on and the competitions they participate in through HOSA,” Wiles said. “Our instructors are just as passionate about their students and go above and beyond to prepare them for success as health care professionals.”