Lyle Thacker was very lucky to get a liver transplant (April 12). More than half of the 91,000 Americans on the national waiting list will die before they get a transplant. Americans donate only about half of the organs that could save lives and relieve suffering. They bury or cremate about 20,000 transplantable organs every year.
There is a simple solution — give organs first to people who have agreed to donate their own organs when they die. Giving organs first to organ donors will convince more people to register as organ donors. It will also make the organ-allocation system fairer. Anyone who wants to donate organs to others who have agreed to donate theirs can join LifeSharers at (www.lifesharers.org) or by calling 1-888-ORGAN88. More than 400 of our members are minor children enrolled by their parents.
David J. Undis
executive director
LifeSharers
Nashville, Tenn.