The “Power of One” (the theme of Donate Life’s April 21 Seattle giving luncheon) touched my family about three years ago when my 12-year-old son Cole became a donor. It happened very suddenly one morning when Cole was up early finishing his homework and succumbed to a brain aneurysm. Although the doctors at Harborview Medical Center did everything they could to save his life, Cole was pronounced brain dead the next day. It was the most devastating thing that could have ever happened to my family and, in the midst of our grief, we found ourselves faced with a decision to make. Should we say “yes” to donation and give others the chance to live that was not meant to be for Cole? Or say “no” and just watch him die. We thought about it and decided that saying “yes” is exactly what Cole would have wanted. He was the type of person that wanted things to be fair and for everyone to have a chance. In the end, Cole saved five people’s lives with the donation of his heart, liver, lungs and kidneys, and his corneas were put into a sight bank where they are waiting for a recipient.
For me, saying “yes” to donation is a decision I will never regret. It’s shown me what the life of one person can do for the lives of many and has inspired me to help raise awareness to the good that can come from it. I now meet with groups of people to share Cole’s story and to help educate the public on donation and the power that one person has to make a difference. Cole’s legacy now lives on, not only in our wonderful memories of him, but in the lives of the people he helped save and in the lives of their friends and families, as well.
I encourage everyone to register to become an organ, eye and tissue donor and ask others to do the same at www.DonateLifeToday.com. When you do, you have the power to save or enhance the lives of more than 50 people through your gift.
April is National Donate Life Month. Register now. We each have the power to make a difference … one person at a time.
Cole will always be remembered as our hero.
Marta Baldwin
