Watch for Green Ribbons by David Reel

Next month is National Kidney Month.

According to information posted on the National Kidney Foundation website, thirty-seven million adults in America have chronic kidney disease.

Ninety percent don’t know they have it.

Approximately seven hundred and fifty thousand individuals have irreversible kidney failure that requires regular dialysis or a kidney transplant just to survive.

Almost one hundred thousand of those critically ill individuals are on transplant waitlists.

The average wait times for a transplant range from three to seven years, depending on where the patient lives.

For some, that wait is ultimately futile.

The Kidney Foundation reports that only one in five on the waitlist receive a kidney transplant every year and every day an average of ten people who need a kidney transplant die.

Until recently, I had no more than a vague awareness of the tremendous need for kidney donors.

The catalyst for learning more about this matter resulted from a chance encounter at a recent meet-and-greet event.

While chatting with another event attendee, I noticed she was wearing one of the ubiquitous “ribbon pins” that are used by many to express support for countless causes.

The color of her ribbon was green.

I had never seen that color before, so I asked her about it.

She smiled and said quietly, “I’m an organ donor. I donated one of my kidneys”.

I told her I knew two individuals who were kidney transplant recipients, but never met a live-organ donor.

I asked her if she donated it to an immediate family member, a relative, a close friend or someone she knew.

Her unexpected reply shocked me.

She said, ” I have no idea who received it. I never asked and they never told me. All I know is someone desperately needed lifesaving help and I wanted to provide it.”

I finally recovered enough to state the obvious — her selfless actions were a wonderful thing for her to do.

It was much more than wonderful thing to do but at that time more appropriate words escaped me.

I finally followed up with telling her I was glad I saw and asked about her ribbon.

She smiled again and said, ‘‘I too am glad you saw it and asked about it. I don’t wear it for recognition or compliments. I wear it as a way to raise awareness of how important it is to be a live organ donor and the wonderful lifelong feeling it provides on making a real difference in this world.”

Before we went our separate ways, she said thank you for listening and learning more about this cause.

I have not seen her or talked to her again, nor do I know who she is.

I will never forget her and her story.

I have since learned that green ribbons are not just for live kidney donors.

They can be worn by anyone as a symbol of support for those giving hope and sharing life through organ, eye, and tissue donations.

I realize now, the best way to honor the green ribbon wearer I met is to share her story in this commentary.

I know recognizing her by name is not possible, nor is it the proper thing to do.

She already told me she was not seeking recognition or compliments for her compassion and extraordinary gift.

This commentary is not a call to action to become a live organ donor. I have no doubt I ever will and respect all those who choose not to do so.

My hope is this commentary will help advance her goal of raising awareness of the need for live organ donors and the wonderful feeling it provides her in making a real difference in this world.

All of us can do that by simply remembering and perhaps even telling her story to others.

We can also watch for those wearing green ribbons.

When we do see them, I suggest we take a minute to listen to their unique story, whatever it may be.

David Reel is a public affairs and public relations consultant in Easton.