We are part of The Trust Project.
On Sept. 9, 2022, our nation reached an incredible milestone by surpassing 1 million solid organ transplants. This milestone isn’t just a number. It represents 1 million people who have been given the gift of time: more birthdays, more family memories, more life for 1 million people – including me.
I was born with a liver disease, and I knew I would eventually need a transplant. When I was 10, my health started to deteriorate to the point where I became bed bound. When we finally received the call that a donor liver was available, my life changed.
After my transplant, I lived life like a normal kid. I became extremely involved in school, extracurricular activities, and am now in my final year of medical school. By choosing this profession, I hope to help others like my donor helped me.
I will be forever grateful to my donor and their family for giving me a second chance at life. Without their decision to donate, I would not be alive today. I write to my donor family yearly and will continue to write and share my gratitude for their gift.
Right now, only 53% of North Dakotans have registered at the DMV and nearly 3,000 people in our region are waiting for a life-saving transplant. Please consider joining the registry when you renew your driver’s license or online at Life-Source.org . Anyone can register – the oldest donor was 95! This simple decision saves the lives of people just like mine.
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Karishma Mistry lives in Fargo.
This letter does not necessarily reflect the opinion of The Forum's editorial board nor Forum ownership.
