Nita French's Program is a Living Example for Organ Donation

"I didn't know how sick I was until I got my new kidney and wasn't sick any more." Nita French, Community Outreach Coordinator for LifeShare Transplant Donor Services of Oklahoma told her story at the Feb. 21st meeting.  She was diagnosed with juvenile type II diabetes before her teenage years. Nita was undergoing dialysis treatments as a single parent and becoming more and more disabled from organ failure fatigue and had already had two "false alarm" calls for transplant when a viable kidney became available. A young soldier, Patrick, had been a victim of a rollover vehicle accident and as a registered donor his organs and tissue gave the opportunity of new life to numerous recipients.  Since receiving Patrick's kidney, Nita has travelled around the state and the country promoting LifeShare and sharing the story of the gift of life that Patrick left behind because of a check on his license.

Through efforts of LifeShare and their advocates, Oklahoma is #2 in the nation in donors per million population. The need is still greater than the supply of donors. There are over 125,000 individuals in need of lifesaving organ transplants. with 80% in need of a kidney and 13% of a liver. 

For more information and stories of transplant successes go to www.lifeshareok.org 

Nita French is pictured with Rotarian Julie Hovis, and with her family. Nita and her husband have been able to bear three healthy children since receiving her kidney.  It was a great testimony to the miracle of organ transplant.