GROUP STARTED IN USA

                Youth for Organ Donation Awareness (YODA), is yet another example of social initiative by the youth of today. YODA is said to be the first of its kind in the USA. Cristina wiener, 21 and Sandra Nudelman, 19,                Co-founder of Harvard’s pledging group have been linked with organ donation from two different perspectives – Weiner from the “giving end” and Nudelman from the “receiving end”, in a manner of speaking. Cristina Weiner and her brother Matt had agreed to donate their organs four years ago, when they had applied for their drivers’ license. It was to happen sooner than anyone had ever expected. Matt collapsed and died while playing football at Princeton University in 1999. When the time came to decide whether to donate his organs, his sister remembered their conversation, and his organs and tissues were donated. She says, “I was very proud we were able to make that decision. It was what he wanted”.

            Sandra Nudelman and her family were at the other end of the spectrum. They endured a long wait for a liver for her grandfather. The feelings of helplessness, then the gratitude for the eventual donation inspired her to try do something to increase awareness about organ donation.

            UNOS (United Network for Organ Sharing) statistics as on March 31, 2001 showed that there were 75,614 people on the transplant waiting list. About 16 people die per day waiting for a transplant. It is important to focus the attention of young people on this crucial issue. Youth are especially receptive to donor awareness campaigns because they are often socially active and developing their life philosophy. However, in general people are less inclined to raise the issue with them because they don’t want to think of young people dying. But the fact is that young people make up a large percentage of potential donors, in part because they are more likely to be involved with car, motor cycle and bike accidents. About 19,800 people between the age of 18 and 34 were organ donors between 1988 and 2000, the most in any age group.

YODA hope to convey to the youth that being aware of organ donation is a responsible and potentially lifesaving choice.