Who Can Donate?
Everyone!  Infants and senior citizens have even donated organs.  Anyone can be an organ or blood donor because all types of people need organs and blood.  If you are under 18, you will need your parent or guardian’s consent. If you are over 18 it is still a good idea to discuss the issue with your family.  They may need to sign certain forms at the time of the donation.   

Why Donate?
Well, this entire article focuses on that issue, but here are some quick points to focus on.  First of all, you should donate blood, and sign up to be an organ donor because it will help other people.  It will often save the life of someone, and if you could do that, you would, right?  Secondly, you should donate, and help others become donors, because you never know when you yourself may need a blood transfusion or an organ to survive.

What Organs Can be Donated?
Medical advancements have come a long way, and today many different organs can be replaced through donation.  The “Big Five”, which refers to the five easiest to donate, and most common are the heart, the kidneys, the lungs, the liver and the pancreas.  Many types of tissue can also be donated, and they include bone marrow, heart valves, connective tissue, and cornea tissue.

Do Blood Donations Have to “Match” between the Donor and the Recipient?
This is a very interesting question.  Blood is extremely personal.  There are four main blood types: A, B, AB and O.  Within each blood type, there are both positive and negative types.  It is somewhat complicated, but the simplest way to look at it is this: AB can receive any type of blood, making it the universal recipient, and O can give any type of blood, making it the universal donor.  With the other types, the donor and recipient matches vary.  Most people, roughly 75%, have either O positive or A positive blood types.  The simple answer for blood is that doctors must be very careful to ensure that they are matching blood types when making a transfusion.   

How Do I Sign Up?
To sign up to be an organ donor, you can do it at the registry of motor vehicles when you get your driver’s license.  Otherwise, sign up to receive an organ donor card from The Health and Human Services Department.  To donate blood contact the American Red Cross, or simply wait until the service is offered at your school, camp, or town.

How Can I Help Others Become Donors?
Well, the simplest way is to use the knowledge you now have.  Tell them all you know.  Let your friends or families know what a good idea becoming a donor is.  Invite them to come along with you when you donate blood.  Let others live by your positive example, and the world will become a more health conscious place.  A little encouragement from you wouldn’t hurt either?